EMKAS.A. is a leader in innovative environmental solutions. With more than 30 years of experience in the market of logistics, collection and processing of medical waste, it has decided to use its know-how by developing a new business area – EMKA Oil. This is a fresh project by the company to meet the changing needs of society, blazing new trails and engaging in the application of modern technologies. The company’s goal is to revolutionize the way people perceive UCO so as to create a positive and sustainable impact on the environment, through an innovative system of Nationwide Collection of Used Cooking Oil.
What is UCO?
Pouring used cooking oil and vegetable fats (Used Cooking Oil – UCO, or used cooking oil) into the sewer system is a common occurrence that can have seriously negative effects on the environment and the sewer system. Meanwhile, few people are aware of the negative effects on the environment and sewerage systems that such an action can have. UCO, which includes frying oil and butter, salad oil, canned and tinned oil generated in households, is a by-product of cooking and frying, and its improper handling poses a threat to surface water, soil, drinking water and sewage infrastructure.
What is the danger of pouring used cooking oil down the drain?
- Contamination of surface and groundwater;
- The die-off of fauna and flora;
- soil contamination;
- Reduction in the quality of drinking water;
- compromising public health
damage to sewer systems.
Benefits of UCO recycling
Counterintuitively, there are a number of diverse uses for used cooking oil, considered a waste product. Given the high triglyceride content of processed fat, it is very often used as a biocomponent in the production of eco diesel or other eco fuels. However, this is not the only possibility – purified, processed oil can also be used in oil furnaces as a kind of fuel, providing thermal energy. In addition, in the chemical industry, such already purified waste finds additional use in the production of various types of synthetic plastics. Then the purified oil is further processed along with other substances.
Among the many benefits of proper UCO recycling, we can mention:
- Improving the process of treating domestic water and putting it back into circulation;
- Preventing clogging of hard-to-reach places in sewer pipes in their homes;
- Reducing the need for nuisance repairs by taking care of the city’s sewage system;
- Providing raw materials needed for scientific research and fuel production;
- Reducing the demand for natural resources needed to produce new oil;
- Reducing the amount of pollutants entering the water and air.
What products are created by UCO recycling?
- biofuels;
- cosmetics;
- cleaners
- biodegradable plastics;
- paints;
- candles;
- pet food.
How does the law regulate the management of UCOs?
According to Polish regulations, hotels, restaurants or bars, among others, are obliged to collect UCO. That’s nearly 100,000 catering outlets on the map of Poland. Meanwhile, the number of households in Poland is approaching 13 million, and almost every home uses cooking oil, which, after frying, usually ends up in the sewage system causing blockages and related failures. UCO is also a challenge for wastewater treatment systems, and if it gets into the soil, it can cause irreparable damage to nature. That’s why it’s so important that this lion’s share of the cooking oil consumed in our country eventually begins to be recycled.
UCOllector – a revolutionary system
UCOllectors is a revolutionary system that allows the creation of a municipality-level network of points with machines to which the local community can donate UCO. UCOllectors are a milestone to expand the number of waste fractions that can be collected and segregated by households nationwide. The project will bring a significant increase in the level of recycling and recovery from waste at the level of municipalities and local governments. The system consists of special machines, but also innovative bottles, an interactive mobile application, logistics mechanisms, recycling and reporting processes as well as extensive educational and promotional activities including EMKA Oil’s flagship project – “Oil you pass, tree you have!”.
How does UCOllector work?
As part of the “You’ll pass the oil, you’ll have a tree!” campaign, UCOllector will dispense an empty bottle, made of eco-friendly material that can withstand the high temperature of the oil, to a user who registers in advance in a special free app. The average duration of oil collection in a household, is one and a half months. With the help of the app, the user returns the full bottle to UCOllector, and points are credited to his account, which can be exchanged for ecological rewards once a year. One bottle equals 100 points, and for as few as 300 points collected you can get a prize in the form of, for example, a tree seedling.
Components of the machine
It is the first such tool on the market, innovative and intuitive. The device monitors and reports on the status of bottle filling in real time – it holds as many as 160 empty bottles and 150 full bottles. The components of the machine are:
- Photovoltaic panels – Oilomat can operate solely on solar panels without being connected to the grid.
- QR code scanner – allowing communication with the mobile application for the user. Reads QR codes generated by the mobile application allowing the user to retrieve an empty bottle and return a full bottle of used oil.
- Instructions – guiding the user through the process of taking the first bottle, returning it full and replacing it with a new one.
- New bottle release chamber – the user retrieves an empty bottle for oil collection. The user can retrieve the first bottle after scanning the QR code from the app, or will receive a new empty bottle after returning a full bottle.
- Full bottle container fill sensor.
- Full bottle return compartment – the door opens automatically after scanning the corresponding QR code from the mobile app, the user places a full bottle. The door closes automatically.
- Openable front for easy emptying of the container with full bottles and refilling of empty bottles.
UCO collection bottle
The donated bottles are not only environmentally friendly, but also functional and convenient to use, helping to increase the commitment to environmentally friendly oil collection. The components of the bottle are:
- Instructions
- QR code to recognize the bottle in the machine
- Braille instructions
Intuitive mobile app
The UCOllector mobile app is an intuitive tool for managing UCO collection from the user’s level. It is available for iOS and android devices. To use it, create an account, collect points for donated oil and exchange them for attractive rewards. In the app, you can also find instructions for proper collection, locate the nearest UCOllector and read a lot of educational materials on ecology and environmental protection.
Where will the bottles collected at Olejomat go?
The company plans to set up a special plant for treatment, in the immediate vicinity of the Thermal Waste Conversion Facility in Kędzierzyn-Koźle. It will use the heat generated by the thermal conversion of medical waste.
EMKA S.A. has received funding from the European Union for a project entitled: “Implementation of an in-house technology for efficient and low-emission recovery of post-consumer cooking oil”. The project in question involves the implementation of an innovative proprietary technology entitled “Technology for optimizing the UCO oil recovery process by adjusting its quality parameters to the requirements of end users.”
The main objective of the project is to carry out a technological investment through the implementation of innovative technology developed as a result of research and development work carried out independently, as well as in cooperation with a scientific unit. The new implemented technology and the UCO recovery process implemented on its basis will be characterized by a low level of waste generation, and due to the planned technological and technical solutions, the new product due to its manufacturing process will also be characterized by a low level of emissions due to the use of waste heat energy and the use of electricity generated from renewable sources.
As part of the project’s implementation, the construction and start-up of a new production facility is planned. These activities include construction of new facilities, installation of new equipment and launch of a new type of business for the Company. The result of the implementation of the technology will be a new product in the form of a qualified UCO recycled bio-component meeting the requirements of customers used, among others, in the production of second generation biofuels. From the point of view of the implementation of the project results, the key customers will be entities from the fuel industry.
Benefits for local governments
A bail law will soon go into effect that will take away the ability of local governments to show recycling of PET bottles and glass bottles in recovery levels. This loophole can be replaced by UCO waste, i.e. used cooking oil with code 20 01 25, which will be able to be shown in reports as an increase in recycling levels and an increase in recovery levels from waste at the municipal and local government levels. Through an innovative approach and cooperation with local communities, EMKA S.A. is convinced that the OILOMATS can bring significant benefits to municipalities. In addition, monthly reports of the collected amounts of waste code 20 01 25 that will be recycled provide additional value to track progress and effectively evaluate cooperation.
Yesterday Redzikowo, today Ustka, tomorrow the whole world!
The innovative solution of UCOllectors will successively reach local governments across the country. The Redzikowo municipality was the first in Poland to join the National Collection of Used Cooking Oil (UCO). This is another project of the company carried out in the Pomeranian Voivodeship, in the Słupsk district of the Redzikowo municipality. This is because a modern Thermal Waste Conversion Installation is being built in Redzikowo, another such investment realized by EMKA S.A.. The company has announced the ceremonial opening of the installation in the last quarter of this year. The Thermal Waste Conversion Installation is a place where, in a modern way and completely safe for the environment and the people working there, waste is thermally transformed and, as a result, thermal energy is produced. If you are interested in the project, we invite you to fill out the form by clicking here. EMKA OIL specialists will contact you and answer any questions.
