Used cooking oil can yield biodiesel, say city hoteliers

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 8

Various hoteliers in the city were informed about proper disposal of used cooking oil during a meeting held here recently.

Addressing the meeting of the Amritsar Hotel and Restaurant Association (AHARA), Nirmal Sandhu of Northern Bio Fuel stated that same cooking oil can’t be reheated for more than three times. On being heated repeatedly, the oil becomes rancid as its chemical properties change and is harmful for human consumption.

When such oil is drained directly into the pipes, without proper treatment, it changes its state and solidifies causing the problem of clogging.

He said his concerns procure used cooking oil for around Rs25 to Rs30 per liter and subsequently, process it, clean it and then add it into a bio-diesel and industries using furnaces. It can also be used in diesel-run automobile vehicles, provided some desired changes be made.

AHARA General Secretary Piyush Kapoor said Food Safety and Standard Authority of India was promoting disposal of used cooking oil to ensure safety of citizens.

He said all luxury and reputed hotels and restaurants were already selling the used cooking oil to private companies. He said these used substance were consumed in preparing washing soaps and other non-eatable commodities.