Used cooking oil disposal for restaurants
How hotels, restaurants and food businesses in Karnataka can get rid of used frying oil safely, keep the right records and get paid for it.
Disposing of fryer oil, step by step
The same routine works for a single kadai or a row of deep fryers.
Cool it
Never move hot oil. Switch off and let the fryer or kadai cool fully.
Strain it
Pour it through a strainer to remove food bits and burnt crumbs.
Store it
Use metal tins or drums with lids. Keep water, soap and chemicals out.
Hand it over
Give it to a used cooking oil collector and keep the receipt for your records.
What not to do with waste cooking oil
- Do not pour it into sinks, drains or open ground. It blocks pipes and pollutes water.
- Do not keep topping up old oil with fresh oil. Oil past 25% total polar compounds is unfit for food.
- Do not sell it to unknown buyers. It can go back into food somewhere else.
- Do not mix it with engine oil or cleaning chemicals. Mixed oil cannot be recycled.
Records for larger kitchens
FSSAI guidance asks kitchens that fry with more than 50 litres of oil a day to keep a daily record of oil used, oil discarded and how it was disposed of. Every Reviron pickup makes restaurant oil disposal simple, with a receipt and the details you need for that record. Read the FSSAI rules
Questions about used cooking oil disposal
How should restaurants dispose of used cooking oil?
Cool it, store it in closed tins and hand it to a used cooking oil collector who sends it for biodiesel. Keep a receipt for every handover so you can show where the oil went.
Can I pour used cooking oil down the drain?
No. Oil hardens in pipes and drains, causes blockages and bad smells, and pollutes water. FSSAI guidance also says used cooking oil must not be dumped in drains.
Can I sell used cooking oil to anyone who asks?
It is safer not to. Oil sold to unknown buyers can end up back in food at street stalls. Hand it to a collector who gives you a receipt and sends it for biodiesel.
How do I dispose of oil from a deep fryer?
Switch the fryer off and let the oil cool completely. Drain it through a strainer into a metal tin or drum with a lid, wipe out the sludge with paper and keep the tin away from heat until pickup.
Is used cooking oil hazardous waste?
Used cooking oil is not treated like engine oil, but it should still be stored safely and handed to a proper collector. Large frying kitchens must also keep a disposal record under FSSAI guidance.