WVO Collecting

First Rule -Commit!

Understand that restaurant owners are running a businessespecially if you are considering this to be your Hobby.   If you cannot commit to a regular collectionschedule and, end up leaving them in a bind, you will lose the account fasterthan you can say “Greased Lightning”.  WasteGrease is not their primary business and you will do well to keep them fromhaving to think about it, ever.

How much WVO do youhave to collect per month from each source?

Less than 50 gallons per month, few sources.

You have one or two accounts that produces 10 gallons perweek.  At this point, you can probablyget away with using the 5 gallon cubies. If the restaurant is putting the waste oil back into the cubies; findout when they change the oil schedule a time to pick it up soon afterwards.  Cubies are easy to carry around and you canput them in the truck of your car, back of your truck or whatever.

Less than 50 gallons per month, many sources.

In the case that you have a multiple accounts that produce10 gallons/week.  Drop a 55gallon drumwith locking hatch at each location and make a collection round once permonth.  This will also require that youhave a mobile collection system consisting of a 275gallon tote and a decentgear pump rated at a minimum 10gpm for oil transfer.  Depending on your climate you may also needto be equipped with an electric immersion heater to liquefy the oil if it getscold enough to solidify in the collection drum. Ideally, you will have access to 110V power at your collection points,however failing that, you will need to work out an inverter powered from yourvehicle electric system.  Note: a full275gallon tote weighs about 2000lbs and is beyond the capacity of an averagepickup truck.  Also, all inverters are notcreated equal and typically have poor efficiency.  Size 2x to 4x the expected load! 

 Over 250 gallons per month from one sources

 In the case that you have one account that produces inexcess of 250 gallons per month. You can go the 55 gallon drum route andservice weekly or you can step up to a professional collection system.  These systems also solve many of thecontamination problems with leaving the drum outside as well as the coldweather solidification issues.   Thesystem consists of a grease caddy where the fryers are drained into and aheated storage tank that collects the oil from the caddy.  Details vary, the tank may be located insideor outside but the WVO will always be removed via plumbing to the outside.  These tanks are sized at 200 to 300 gallonsand make for a very efficient collection point. These systems can cost over $2000 but they can be found used for muchless.  I actually purchased a DarlingCleanstar 1500lb system with caddy for $500 on ebay!

-Leon

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