We’re trialling a recycling scheme for used cooking oil and fats, to prevent blocked drains and cut waste.
Pouring used cooking oil and fat down sinks can cause blocked drains. But often people don’t know what else to do with it.
So, to help customers dispose of old fats sustainably, we’re offering recycling points at seven Sainsbury’s car parks in the Edinburgh area.
New oil from old
Working with our partners Olleco, Scottish Water and Zero Waste Scotland, we set up the recycling points on a trial basis in 2015 – inviting customers to recycle their old cooking oil, vegetable oil, animal fat and lard.
Customers are asked to put the cooled waste into a plastic bottle before bringing it to the recycling bank. Olleco then takes it to a recycling plant to be converted into biodiesel.
Although the scheme is currently a trial, we’ll monitor the results and may roll it out further if successful.
“Our customers save time and money keeping their drains clear”
Tuval Rockman
Environment Resources Manager, Sainsbury’s
The Scottish pilot builds on previous national Sainsbury’s programmes that encouraged customers to avoid pouring used cooking oil into sinks.
Christmas excess
We tend to time our campaigns for Christmas, because about 500 tonnes of fat enters UK drains in December, 25% more than at any other time of year.
So before Christmas 2014, for example, we distributed 900,000 plastic ‘EkoFunnels’ and 30,000 cardboard fat traps free with online deliveries. EkoFunnels are lidded funnels with a screw fitting for a plastic bottle, which make it easy for customers to collect oil.
And at Christmas 2015, we followed up with an infographic featuring the slogan “Stop and think! Not down the sink!” The graphic reminded customers that even a medium-sized turkey can produce three-quarters of a pint of fat and recommended that old oil and fat be put in plastic bottles, for recycling or disposal.