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Biofuel: Deriving From Recycling Used Cooking Oil

Written by :    Aida Ismah, Malaysia

                        (Environment Activist)

            Biofuel, also known as agrofuel, is mainly derived from plants. This fuel can be used for many purposes, but its main use is in the transportation sector. Two methods are generally used on how to best derive biofuel from plants. The first method is through the process of fermentation where ethanol is produced. Crops like sugar and starch are used in this process. Ethanol oil, the most commonly used biofuel in the world, can be put to use in petrol engines as a substitute for gasoline. In the second method, the oil that is naturally produced from plants such as palm oil and jatropha is heated to reduce its viscosity after which it is directly used as fuel for diesel engines. This oil can be further treated to produce biodiesel which can also be used for other various purposes.

            Biofuel is considered as the purest, easiest and most available fuel on the planet. Biofuel is looked upon as a way of energy security which stands as an alternative to fossil fuels that is currently limited in availability. Biofuel has made most  vehicle engines to perform more efficiently and even last longer. This fuel is also very clean and environmentally friendly, whereby, the usage of biofuel, unlike fossil fuel like petroleum and diesel, is the best way to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. As a result, the rate of global warming can be reduced. Biofuel can be a lot more economical because it can be manufactured at home in the form of a gas, to be used for cooking purposes. This fuel also encourages the recycling process as it is manufactured from waste products. For example, used cooking oil.

            The use of biofuel has extensively expanded throughout the globe. Some of the main reasons for people to shift their interests to biofuel are the rising prices of petroleum, the emission of greenhouse gases and the interest in rural development. Some of the major producers and users of biofuel are Asia, Europe and the United States. In the South-east Asia region, countries like Indonesia and Malaysia, who are the major producers of global palm oil, are now looking to putting more effort into producing biodiesel which is one of the two types of biofuel. Major local and global companies are building mills and refineries to expand the production of biofuel .In Indonesia, PT Bukitmanikam Subur Persada, PT Indo Acidama Chemical and Eterindo are among the major companies that produced biofuel while in Malaysia, there are AM Biofuels Sdn Bhd, Knoethig Vegetable Oils Sdn Bhd and My International Trade Sdn Bhd.

            One of the major activities in contributing to the production of biofuel is the recycling of used cooking oil that includes not only refined palm cooking oil but also products made from palm oil, such as margerine, that can be liquefied into oil for cooking purposes.

Traditionally, this used cooking oil was poured into the sink or drain or packed into plastic bags and thrown into garbage bins before being transported to landfills. The used cooking oil that was poured down the sink would saturate and change into a solid waste that would clog pipes. The same situation would occur in the sewage system, where trapped used cooking oil would harden and make the machines underneath to stop functioning. When the machines were unable to perform their tasks, foul odors would arise from the sewers . The used cooking oil  that was flowed into the drains would eventually enter the rivers and cause water pollution. The river would be covered in oil and thus blocking any oxygen from reaching the water. As a result, tiny living things in the water could die from lack of oxygen. Some species, such as the dragon-fly nymph, is very useful in controlling the breeding of mosquitoes as the nymph feeds on the larvae for food. Similarly, at landfill areas, dumping of too much used cooking oil would slow down the rate of decomposition by bacteria. The bacteria would be covered mainly by oil and they, in return, would become inactive.

            Nowadays, the presence of biofuel manufacturing industry has provided us with an alternative solution for the indiscrimate disposition of used cooking oil. Although not all used cooking oil can be disposed off, most of it is being collected and sold to collection agencies appointed by the Local Authorities, after which it will be sold to any biofuel entrepreneurs. Furthermore, the government has imposed a strict law on big and luxurious restaurants and hotel owners where they are to equip their business premises with oil traps to trap the used cooking oil.

            In residential communities and public eating places such as food courts, canteens and night markets, used cooking oil is collected through the Recycling Of Used Cooking Oil Programmes. The objective of this awareness programme is to educate communities and the public to love their environment and avoid pollution, especially in preserving the natural water resources which include rivers, lakes and natural ponds. Each community involved in this programme will be provided with collection bins that are to be used in collecting used cooking oil. These bins are provided by the collection agencies on a loan basis. When the bins are full, the agents will buy the used cooking oil from the community at the collection point before delivering them to the biofuel plants.

            At the biofuel plant, the oil will undergo a series of recycling processes and biodiesels are produced. The Recycling of Used Cooking Oil Programmes are beneficial to both the communities and the biofuel entrepreneurs. From this programme, the communities can generate income through the selling of used cooking oil to the collection agencies. These revenues can be used to finance activities in the community, for instance, providing free tuition classes for the children in the community. On the other hand, biofuel entrepreneurs will be able to get a steady and constant supply of oil other than the crude palm oil derived from the plantations.

            Indeed, the biofuel manufacturing industry is synonym with the recycling of used cooking oil. In the future, used cooking oil will be able to emerge as the largest contributor to the biofuel industry, particularly in Southeast Asia because the people often use cooking oil in cooking their daily dishes. In addition, from the health care perspective, the repeated use of the same cooking oil can lead to disorders in the human body. Indirectly, the public will be more aware of the importance of protecting the environment that is beneficial to all parties.

Community Programme of Collecting Waste Cooking Oil

Waste Cooking Oil Clot