We may try to avoid too much grease for health reasons, but it’s one of those things that’s unavoidable when cooking. Especially in restaurants that produce more food than you do on a normal day. This grease and oil are harmful to the environment when it contaminates the natural environment so they must be disposed of properly. 

What impact do grease and oil have on the environment?

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), animal fats and vegetable oils are regulated under 40 CFR 112. They have the same requirements as petroleum and non-petroleum oils because of their similar physical properties and environmental impacts. We’ve all seen oil spills in the news and how devastating they can be to the environment, and if you haven’t seen that somehow then maybe you’ve seen the Dawn dish soap commercials where they clean the duck that is covered in oil. The risks go beyond covering cute ducks and can have detrimental ecological effects. 

The EPA lists risks as:

• Physical effects like suffocating animals and plants when covered with oil
• Can be toxic and form toxic products 
• Harm food supplies, breeding animals, and habitats
• Produce rancid odors
• Foul shorelines, clog water treatment plants, and catch fire when ignition sources are present
• Form products that remain in the environment for years

How does Mountain Burger dispose of grease and oil?

Mountain Burger uses Central Oregon Grease & Oil to recycle the used cooking oil. What happens to it? The used oil is sent to a refiner in California where it is used to make biodiesel. 

The U.S. Department of Energy defines biodiesel as “a renewable, biodegradable fuel manufactured domestically from vegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled grease.” It meets the biofuel requirement for the Renewable Fuel Standard which requires transportation fuel to have a minimum volume of renewable fuels.   

The used grease is sent through a 1500 grease inceptor product which is transported to Prineville. On the Two Springs Ranch, it is mixed with septic waste where lye is then added to neutralize it. From there, ais is added for the smell and it is then used on the land. 

Properly disposing of grease and oil averts potential harmful impacts that can harm ecosystems. Mountain Burger works to divert waste products from contaminating ecological systems and grease and oil are one way that we help you dine sustainably.