Shanghai trucks fueled by recycled edible oil

Some trucks in Shanghai are, for the first time in the country, fueling up on recycled cooking oil, commonly known as "gutter oil", as part of efforts to promote environmental sustainability and keep the inferior oil out of kitchens.

Since the beginning of this month, more than 100 logistics trucks of Swedish furniture maker Ikea have been running on fuel composed of biodiesel derived from cooking oil. The amount of gutter oil the fuel contains varies from five to 10 percent.

Shanghai Zhongqi Environment Technology Co, one of Shanghai's two licensed gutter oil processing companies, partnered with Ikea and Shanghai Bus Logistics Ltd for the biodiesel project.

"The project is in line with our energy-saving goal and brings benefits to society," said He Jianjiang, general manager of Shanghai Bus Logistics.

Shanghai Food Safety Committee said the project means that vehicles have now joined the recycling drive, and the process of recycling waste kitchen oil is now well developed.

Yan Zuqiang, deputy head of the committee, said at the project's launching ceremony on Dec 1 that it is a giant step toward Shanghai's goal of becoming a great global city, which is included in its 2040 development plan.

He added that the newly amended Shanghai Food Safety Regulations, which will be unveiled next year, will further support the recycling of oil through local legislation. Enterprises using biodiesel will receive subsidies.

"Biodiesel is more expensive than traditional oil by 1,000 yuan ($145) to 2,000 yuan per ton," said the head of technology at Zhongqi Environment Technology in Fengxian district. He only gave his surname as Cao.

"Currently, the trucks can only fill up on site at their company. In the future, more specialized stations, like the ones for traditional gasoline, will be built to facilitate the usage of biofuel," Cao said.

For years, the authorities have focused on converting waste oil. Using cooking oil-derived biofuel cuts carbon dioxide emissions and is a productive way to clamp down on the illegal gutter oil trade.

Biofuel has been used to power airplanes and buses in China. In Shanghai, more than 100 buses on 10 routes have used biodiesel since early last year.

Wu Yiwei contributed to this story.