SUSTAINABILITY
POWERING DECARBONISATION AND WASTE REDUCTION WITH USED COOKING OIL
By Suzanne McKenzie, sales director at Lifecycle Oils
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cross the UK, manufacturers are facing increasing pressure to cut waste, reduce Scope emissions, and improve their sustainability credentials as part of the drive to Net Zero.
For any business running its own generators, decarbonising operations has become a real priority. To solve this, an increasing number of UK businesses are now utilising a common waste stream – used cooking oil (UCO) from the food industry, which is being transformed into a sustainable biofuel. This closed-loop, circular model is how we operate at Lifecycle Oils. We transform UCO from the food industry into LF100, our patented second- generation biofuel for use in industrial generators. For any manufacturer that generates power on-site, this fuel can help them significantly cut their Scope 1 emissions, while powering their facilities on a sustainable, UK-sourced fuel.
FROM WASTE STREAM TO SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
The UK’s food industry produces millions of litres of used cooking oil every day via high street restaurants and food manufacturers.
Historically, this UCO was treated as a waste product, presenting significant disposal and compliance challenges. Improperly managed fats, oils, and grease (FOG) can lead to severe drain blockages, environmental pollution and hefty fines for businesses under the Water Industry Act 1991. Today, it is a valuable feedstock for advanced, second-generation biofuels – we buy used cooking oil from the food businesses, turning it into a revenue stream for them!
From a sustainability perspective, there are huge benefits from using a waste product like UCO to create biofuels. Unlike first-generation biofuels created from virgin crops like palm oil or rapeseed, UCO-derived fuels do not create competition for land that could be used for food production, nor do they drive agricultural expansion, deforestation, or biodiversity loss. By repurposing a waste stream, we are sidestepping the significant carbon emissions associated with additional agricultural production and land-use change. We’re also not competing with the food chain, which has been partly responsible for the rise in price of edible oils.
There are also huge carbon savings when compared to conventional fossil fuels. Biodiesel from UCO produces around 80-90 per cent less
36 Autumn2025 UKManufacturing
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