Wiltshire residents have generated sufficient clean, green energy to make almost 2 million cups of tea by recycling their used cooking oil.
Figures for 2011 show that 8,020 litres of used cooking oil was collected at the county’s household recycling centres (HRCs) operated by Hills Waste Solutions. That amount was sufficient to generate 30,075 KWh of green electricity.
Cliff Carter, recycling manager Hills Waste Solutions, said: “The carbon neutral electricity generated by recycling used cooking oil is helping to achieve renewable energy targets and slow climate change. Recycling this oil makes good use of what was previously a waste material.”
Living Fuels, who are contracted by Hills to collect the oil from its HRCs, uses a patented recovery process to produce a sustainable bioliquid called LF100. It is this bioliquid which is used in combined heat and power facilities to generate green electricity.
Toby Sturgis, Wiltshire Council cabinet member for waste and recycling, said: “The council’s 11 household recycling centres are a key part of Wiltshire’s very successful drive to turn waste into resources and reduce the amount sent to landfill.
“They are helping considerably with our plans to recycle 50 percent of household waste and reduce landfill to less than 25 percent by 2014. The new collection services will enable residents to recycle more at the kerbside, and we will be working with Hills to extend the range of materials that residents can recycle at the household recycling centres.
“Cooking oil is one of our more recent successes, along with household batteries, and we will seek more new opportunities in the future.”
To find your nearest household recycling centres and opening times visit www.recycleforwiltshire.com To find out more about the oil recycling process, visit www.livingfuels.co.uk
