LAHORE: The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) will crack down on the food establishments that will not stop sale of used cooking oil to unauthorised persons/firms by April 15.

Eateries including major food chains are allegedly involved in selling used cooking oil to some people who recycle it and further sell it to vendors who use it for cooking or frying food items.

According to a senior PFA official, the Authority had decided to stop recycling of the used edible oil and its sale in the province after the chief justice of Pakistan took notice during a hearing on March 10 in Islamabad.

“Some major food outlets and chains in Lahore and other cities showed resistance over banning sale of used cooking oil to the unauthorised vendors and we have given them April 15 deadline for disposing it of to only those authorised for its purchase through licence,” PFA Director General Noorul Amin Mengal told Dawn on Thursday.

Govt sets April 15 deadline

“The practice is that after frying for two times or more, restaurants store the used oil for a couple of hours and then sell it to vendors who supply it for recycling and it is further sold to small eateries and roadside vendors,” he said. He said it’s a very serious issue and “we have to stop sale of recycled edible oil by all means. There are even reports of sale of recycled oil for further recycling or sometimes it is disposed of in sewer lines causing environmental issues.”

He said the biodiesel plants were the only places where the used oil should be disposed of. The used oil could be converted into biodiesel which is called green oil for usage in vehicles as is the case in the UK and other countries. And if the used edible oil is sold to such plants alone for biodiesel production, its recycling and further use for human consumption can be avoided. Similarly, soap makers also utilised edible oil, he said.

He said all over Pakistan and especially Punjab the sale of waste/used cooking oil and its reuse was much harmful and hazardous since it was being consumed by people.

According to an expert, the biodiesel is a clean and green fuel and those manufacturing and producing this in Pakistan are exporting it to Europe. “Through this way we are not only developing a new industry, but also bringing new technology and skilled jobs in Pakistan,” Ali Shah told Dawn on Thursday.

Such Pakistani exports matched German and UK EN14214 biodiesel standards, leading to valuable foreign exchange reserves generated for the country, he said. He said approximately 500,000 litre per day used cooking oil is generated in Punjab alone and if it is disposed of to the proper units, Pakistan can not only stop its recycling and reuse but also produce a huge quantity of the biodiesel.

Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2017