What do you do with cooking oil? Recycle it!
Water authorities are urging people to recycle used cooking oil. Four out of ten Dutch people pour their used cooking oil down the drain. This causes significant problems in pipes and at wastewater treatment plants.
Recycle used cooking oil – where to drop it off
As is tradition, many people fry oliebollen on New Year’s Eve. Recycle the used cooking oil. It can be turned into biofuel, a form of green energy. Water authorities are therefore urging people to bring used cooking oil in a (reusable) container to a recycling center.
Solidified fat causes clogs
When cooking oil is poured down the sink, the solidified grease builds up on the inside of the pipes. If you have a clog at home, you’ll need to call a plumber right away. Water authorities often have to hire specialized companies to remove grease from pressure pipes and pumping stations.
The treatment and disposal of oil from doughnuts costs water authorities a lot of money
Less than half of Dutch households choose to recycle cooking oil after frying oliebollen. The used cooking oil is often poured down the sink or toilet. The oil causes major problems in pipes and at wastewater treatment plants.
The treatment and disposal of oil from oliebollen costs water authorities several million euros each year. The figures vary by region, but a water authority spend as much as 2 tonne this annually. These costs are water rates paid for by residents through their water rates .