ENVIRONMENT

Used cooking oils are responsible for creating numerous problems to the municipal wastewater collection systems and to waste landfills, because of their special characteristics. One litre of used cooking oil can pollute the water used of one person for 14 years. The separate collection of this kind of waste is obligatory according to the National Plan of Waste Management and to the European and national legislation.

Until today, in the Municipality of Kozani, the separate collection of used cooking oil is made at the large restaurants, with the cooperation of the restaurant owners and private companies licensed for the collection and of used cooking oils and production of biodiesel.

In the frame of this initiative/ project  the development of an integrated and innovative separate collection system of used cooking oil, in pilot scale, is proposed for the Municipality of Kozani, is proposed. The collected cooking oil will be reused for the production of biodiesel. The following activities are recommended for implementation:

Supply and placement of two automatic collection ATM cabinets, easily accessible and used from public
Collection of cooking oils in order to be used for the production of biodiesel
Educational awareness events for pupils and students of the Municipality of Kozani

Regarding the innovation of the project, it is one of a few projects that concentrates to the entire chain of value of used cooking oil, starting from public awareness to production of biodiesel. Also, it is one of the few projects that involves public sector, private industries and research institutes.