The used cooking oils (UCO) are simple fats and oils that are frequently used for frying in homes, hotels, restaurants, coffee shops, and the food processing industry. Additionally, by following a crucial process, these used cooking oils can be recycled, and they can be widely applied in a variety of industries to create oleochemicals, biodiesel, and soaps.
In many parts of the world, the collection and recycling of UCO are not adequately supported by local infrastructure. For instance, insufficient storage facilities can lead to spoilage and degradation of UCO quality, which affects its suitability for biodiesel production and other applications. The quality of UCO, depending on its source and collection methods. UCO that has been improperly stored or contains high levels of impurities may require more complex and costly processing to meet the standards required for biodiesel or other products.
On the basis of source, the commercial segment currently dominates the global used cooking oil (UCO) market. The growing popularity of eating out has a positive impact on the commercial sector. This is due to an increase in the number of restaurants, hotels, and other food service businesses around the world, which causes a significant production of spent cooking oil that suppliers gather in large quantities. Moreover, different activities launched to collect spent cooking oil from various restaurants boost the growth of the used cooking oil market.