Processing use cooking oil into biodiesel fuel

Houston, we have a problem.

No—on second thought—it’s not just a problem. It’s a dilemma.

Actually, let’s not kid ourselves. It’s both.

So, what is it? We’re producing so much used cooking oil that if we’re not careful, it could be clogging our drainage systems—assuming, of course, that we have proper drainage systems in the first place. If we don’t, then it’s clogging whatever passes for a drainage system in many of our cities.

The logical thing to do would be to collect this oil and recycle it. But here’s where the “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” part kicks in. If you do collect it, you could be accused of transporting hazardous waste and fined. If you don’t, you risk pouring it into our waterways, blocking pipes, causing floods, and polluting aquifers.

Why? Because under Republic Act 6969—the Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act—used cooking oil can be classified as hazardous waste. That means it’s subject to strict rules on collection, storage, transport, recycling, and disposal. Without the right permits from the DENR, you’re in violation.

Apparently, there’s even a prohibition on recycling used cooking oil into anything—except if you do it for your own use.

Which brings me to an enterprising example: a company that collects its own used cooking oil, processes it into biodiesel, and uses that biodiesel to power its own fishing fleet. Brilliant! That’s a closed loop—no selling to third parties, no shady resales, no cancer-causing “second-hand” cooking oil making its way back into food stalls.

I think that model should be encouraged. In fact, there should be a law allowing small businesses, including cooperatives, to collect used cooking oil and convert it into biodiesel for sale, provided they comply with safety rules and accreditation.

Of course, we’d need strict safeguards. The worst-case scenario is someone diverting this oil into the food market. That’s a public health disaster in the making—carcinogens on a plate. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Health (DOH) should work closely with the DENR, DILG, and LGUs to ensure that recycled oil is kept strictly for industrial use, not for frying your favorite street food.

Let’s be clear: improper disposal of used cooking oil is not just a nuisance. It’s an environmental and health hazard. It solidifies in pipes, causes flooding, contaminates groundwater, and, if resold as cooking oil, can lead to long-term illnesses.

Some LGUs are already acting. Bacolod City and Quezon City have ordinances regulating the collection and disposal of used cooking oil. Violators face fines or even business permit revocation. The rules generally allow industrial uses like biodiesel or soap-making—but forbid resale for cooking.

The challenge? We have very few incentives for proper collection. Right now, it’s mostly penalties that drive compliance. No national law gives tax breaks or financial incentives to restaurants or fast-food chains for disposing of oil responsibly. But there’s potential: under the Philippine Green Jobs Act, companies engaged in eco-friendly practices can enjoy tax perks. Why not extend that to cooking oil recycling?

The opportunities are huge. We could establish barangay-level collection programs, partner with biodiesel producers, and even encourage CSR programs where big chains help small communities turn waste into fuel. Imagine the win-win: less pollution, more renewable energy, and new livelihood sources.

And here’s where I think we’re missing the point. We’ve been treating used cooking oil purely as a waste problem, when it’s also an energy opportunity. Every liter of biodiesel we produce from waste oil is a liter we don’t have to import from abroad. Given our dependence on imported fuel, shouldn’t we be turning every drop of waste oil into a drop of local energy?

Yes, there will be legal and logistical hurdles. But that’s what laws are for—to adapt to new opportunities, not to block them. If Norway can dig the world’s deepest subsea tunnel, surely, we can figure out how to turn our own kitchen waste into fuel without poisoning ourselves in the process.

In the end, it’s about mindset. We can either keep treating used cooking oil as a smelly, greasy nuisance—or we can see it for what it is: a potential renewable energy source hiding in plain sight. Let’s stop letting it clog our drains and start letting it power our future.