Maha mulls utilising used cooking oil as biodiesel feedstock

The Maharashtra government is formulating a policy to eradicate adulteration of used cooking oil by utilising it as a feedstock for biodiesel, a minister said today.
"The government is working on a policy that will eradicate adulteration of used cooking oil by using it as a feedstock for biodiesel which reduces pollution," Co-operation Minister Subhash Deshmukh said here.
"This will also create employment opportunities in the collection of used cooking oil and attract new investments in the biodiesel sector," he said.
Deshmukh was speaking after flagging off a 'Biodiesel Driveathon', an awareness campaign in the form of biodiesel car rally from Mumbai to Pune.

It was conducted by the Biodiesel Association of India (BDAI), a non-profit national association representing the biodiesel industry.
The initiative by the BDAI highlights the harmful effects of used cooking oil (UCOs) on the public health. At the same time, UCO is an indigenous feedstock for biodiesel that will create 4 MT capacity and more than 10 lakh jobs, the association said.
Speaking on the initiative, Sandeep Chaturvedi, BDAI President, said, "Lack of awareness has led to parallel UCO market leaking into the food chain.
"Larger public participation, supported by a national legislation, would be required to fight this common cause. UCOs should be sold only to authorised collection agencies as this will ensure their elimination from our food chain.