EDITORIAL
The Goa policy on used cooking oil can prevent health risks and create clean energy
In a positive development, the Goa Cabinet approved a policy on Wednesday for the management of Used Cooking Oil (UCO) for the production of biodiesel. The policy is designed to solve a dual problem: preventing toxic, degraded oil from being reused in cooking and stopping the environmental damage caused when oil is dumped into drains.
The first-of-its-kind framework proposes to plug gaps in the collection and digital traceability of UCO in Goa. This will ensure that the oil is collected through authorised channels and eventually channelled for biodiesel production. The proposed Policy Framework for Management of Used Cooking Oil for Reuse as Biodiesel seeks to prevent UCO from re-entering the food chain, promote its recycling and establish a transparent system for tracking its movement from food establishments to authorised aggregators and recycling facilities. The framework proposes a five-pillar approach comprising standard operating procedures, risk-based inspections using handheld Total Polar Compounds (TPC) meters, QR-based digital traceability, incentives and penalties, and tighter oversight of UCO aggregators.
Under the proposed system, food establishments generating UCO would be registered on a portal developed and maintained by the Goa Energy Development Agency (GEDA). They will have to hand over used oil only to authorised aggregators registered on the portal. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would conduct risk-based inspections using handheld TPC meters to check the quality of cooking oil.
Every collection of UCO by an authorised aggregator would be recorded through a QR-based, geo-tagged electronic receipt. The proposed dashboard would reconcile the quantity of oil generated by an establishment with the quantity collected by an aggregator. Discrepancies between the oil collected and the quantity eventually supplied to a biodiesel plant would be flagged for audit. GEDA would act as the nodal implementing agency and facilitate the establishment of a UCO-to-biodiesel plant and its use in the transport sector.The framework will come into effect once it is notified.
Repeatedly heating cooking oil changes its chemical composition, creating toxic compounds linked to health issues such as hypertension and liver diseases. Unscrupulous vendors buy used restaurant oil, filter it and resell it to street food vendors or households. By creating a watertight system to track UCO, the government can choke the informal market. When used oil is dumped in drains and mixes with wastewater, it solidifies to form massive sewer blockages known as “fatbergs”. If implemented properly, this policy has the potential to drastically reduce these blockages, preventing localised flooding and the contamination of Goa’s rivers, soil and groundwater.
On the face of it, this is a progressive policy. By aligning with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s (FSSAI) national RUCO (Repurpose Used Cooking Oil) initiative, Goa is moving to establish a closed-loop, circular economy for waste oil. Goa transported approximately 9 lakh kg of UCO to Mumbai since 2022.
A proposed ‘Freshly Fried’ recognition system would allow consumers to check an establishment’s latest TPC test result and its UCO disposal record through a QR code. Implementation won’t be easy. Anticipating the burden on restaurant owners, the policy has proposed incentives for compliant establishments and penalties for violations. It offers a reputational reward. The proposed ‘Freshly Fried’ recognition system gives compliant restaurants a QR-code badge to display at their entrance or on menus. In an era where consumers are highly health-conscious, restaurants that transparently prove they use clean, safe oil can use this government-backed certification as a powerful marketing tool to attract diners.Handling used oil is messy and hazardous. The government cannot just demand compliance without providing incentives.
