Prison’s chips generate cash for charity

22 February, 2012, 0 comments

When you think about fundraising for charity, your thoughts don’t immediately turn to the kitchen. However, HMP Birmingham, in partnership with eco-firm Living Fuels, has done just that, by collecting used cooking oil from their kitchen and turning it into cash for charity.

In fact, HMP Birmingham excelled themselves in 2011 by collecting enough to make them the highest generating prison in the Midlands region and so were invited by Living Fuels to choose a charity for them to make a donation to. They have kept a local connection and have made their nominated charity for this year Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Hamish Shilliday, Hospital Fundraiser said: “It is fantastic to see a respected local service show their support for our children in such an original way, thank you so much from everyone at Birmingham Children’s Hospital”

The scheme not only sees prisons’ used cooking oil generating cash for charities, but at the same time is reducing the UK’s dependency on fossil fuels by producing green electricity for use in businesses and homes across the UK. A used cooking oil tank is placed on site for prison kitchens to dispose of their waste oil and once full, Living Fuels collect the oil and take it to their state-of-the-art recovery facility where it is recovered into a 100% natural and renewable bioliquid without the use of chemicals. This bioliquid is then fed through standard diesel engines and turned into electricity, which provides energy to the National Grid at times of unexpected power demand.

Just one litre of oil can produce enough green electricity to power an energy saving light bulb for 225 hours, run a plasma computer for 50 hours or a DVD player for 440 hours.

HMP Birmingham’s Head of Community Engagement – Tony Birch said: “HMP Birmingham are extremely proud of the recent recycling award, and will endeavour to support this and similar projects which enable the prison to lower its carbon footprint.”

Living Fuels’ Operations Director, Rob Murphy continued: “It’s great that we have been able to work with the prison service and help to reduce the country’s carbon impact, while at the same time doing something beneficial for charity. We’d like to thank HMP Birmingham for all the great work they’ve done in the past year, and we look forward to a great continued partnership.”

Suffolk residents help switch the kettle on!

15 February, 2012, 0 comments

Suffolk residents have been praised by eco-firm Living Fuels this week, for helping to generate green electricity to make over 10 million cups of tea, all by recycling their used cooking oil.
Waste cooking oil is traditionally a difficult waste to dispose of, with a recent poll of homeowners admitting that pouring it down the drain is their preferred method of disposal. However, not only does getting rid of used oil this way cause damage to wildlife and watercourses, it also costs UK taxpayers an average of £15 million each year in bills for blocked drains.
However, there is another way to recycle old oil; Suffolk County Council in partnership with Waste Recycling Group (WRG) and Living Fuels offer a waste cooking oil recycling service, at no cost to the taxpayer, which helps rid residents of a difficult waste and at the same time save the environment.
The scheme, which began in 2008, sees used cooking oil tanks placed at 11 of the county’s household waste recycling centres, for residents to deposit their used cooking oil. Once collected, the oil is taken to Living Fuels’ state-of-the-art recovery facility in Norfolk and there recovered 100% naturally into clean, green electricity that is fed into the National Grid at times of unexpected power demand.
Just one litre of oil can produce enough green electricity to power an energy saving light bulb for 225 hours, run a plasma computer for 50 hours or a DVD player for 440 hours.
Living Fuels Operations Director Rob Murphy said of the scheme: “It’s brilliant to see such enthusiasm for used cooking oil recycling, and residents should all give themselves a huge pat on the back. It’s great to think that such a difficult waste product is being turned into something so beneficial for the environment.”
Councillor Lisa Chambers Suffolk County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Waste, continued: “We are really pleased that an item that had previously been disposed of by flushing down the sink and causing a problem for the water companies is now being turned in to energy. With the special oil collection containers being sold from the HWRCs we are making it as easy as possible for people to recycle their used cooking oil.”
Gordon Fergus, WRG’s Group Commercial Manager, said: “As a leading operator of HWRCs in the UK, providing effective recycling solutions to the public through their local authorities, we’re always keen to extend the range of materials that can be productively and economically recycled.”
To purchase a used cooking oil container, complete with filter for ease of storage, please visit either the Lowestoft, Foxhall, Bury St. Edmunds or Stowmarket HWRCs.

Surrey Fry-Ups Help Feed Grid

09 February, 2012, 0 comments

Surrey residents are being encouraged to recycle their used cooking oil so their fry-ups can help feed the national grid.

Recycling the material will help reduce the £15m annual cost to the UK of repairing sewers and drains , while reducing the county’s dependency on fossil fuels.

Surrey County Council, in partnership with Sita Surrey and eco-firm Living Fuels, has placed used cooking oil containers, with no cost to taxpayers, at 14 of the county’s community recycling centres for residents to drop off their discarded oil.

The waste cooking oil is then converted in to clean, green carbon neutral electricity, which is then fed into the national grid.

Rob Murphy of Living Fuels said: “When poured down the drain, fat and oil solidifies, causing blockages that are both difficult and expensive to remove.

“This causes all manner of problems for water companies and ultimately UK taxpayers.

“By recycling oil at your local community recycling centre not only are you helping to cut costs, but you are helping the environment, too.“

Visit livingfuels.co.uk to locate your nearest cooking oil collection tank.

As seen in the Surrey Guardian series 26th January 2012

A place in the top ten

04 January, 2012, 0 comments

Living Fuels is delighted to be featured in Earth 911’s ‘Top 25 Alternative Energy Moves of 2011’.

The list recognises ‘history-making milestones’ in the renewables sector throughout 2011 and places Living Fuels at number 9, thanks to its work with Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority. Other companies in the list include Google, Philips and NASA.

Please follow the link to the full article. http://earth911.com/news/2011/12/28/top-25-alternative-energy-moves-of-2011/#fb-comments

Festive fry-ups feed the grid!

16 December, 2011, 0 comments

Renewable energy company Living Fuels and Kent County Council are urging people to make their festive waste environmentally friendly by recycling leftover cooking oil after Christmas.

The cooking oil from roasts, chips and fry-ups is turned into a green bioliquid by Living Fuels, which is used to power generators that feed into the National Grid.

Waste cooking oil can be dropped off at collection tanks at household waste recycling centres around the county. Just one litre of waste cooking oil, about a third of what is used in an average chip pan, can make enough clean, green electricity to make 240 cups of tea.

So far this year, Kent residents have already taken enough used cooking oil to make five million cups of tea.

Recycling waste cooking oil also helps to prevent damage to drains and sewers, reducing the risk of expensive repair bills.

Bryan Sweetland, Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Waste at Kent County Council, said: “Thank you to all the Kent residents who have taken their waste cooking oil to the county’s recycling centres this year. Please continue to dispose of waste cooking oil responsibly and help transform waste into clean, green energy.”

“Remember you can also recycle other festive items, from Christmas cards to glass bottles and jars, as well as batteries and old electrical equipment at Kent’s household waste recycling centres.”

Cooking oil could reduce East Sussex's dependence on fossil fuels

13 December, 2011, 0 comments

People are helping to power the National Grid with used cooking oil as part of a bid to reduce Brighton, Hove and East Sussex’s dependence on fossil fuels.
East Sussex County Council and Brighton and Hove City Council in partnership with Veolia Environmental Services and green energy company Living Fuels have signed up a recycling scheme which will turn used cooking oil into electricity at no cost to taxpayers.
Collection banks for oil have been installed at the 14 East Sussex household waste recycling sites. The oil will be collected by Living Fuels and recovered naturally into clean, green electricity for use during times of unexpected power demand.
Each tank holds 1,250 litres of used cooking oil, which is enough to power the average UK home for a year.

Residents encouraged to dispose of cooking oil correctly

07 December, 2011, 1 comment

Residents are being reminded to dispose of their used cooking oil correctly instead of pouring it down the plughole and into the drains.

The Borough has a collection tank based at the Chigwell Road Refuse and Recycling Centre (RRC) at Woodford Bridge where residents can get rid of their used cooking oil.

Cooking oil is often the cause of clogged up sinks, drains and sewers. If oil gets into lakes and ponds it can harm wildlife. Recently some baby swans had to be rescued as a result of cooking oil being dumped in a lake in Ilford. Precious energy is also wasted if cooking oil is not disposed of properly.

This is why the council is encouraging residents to pour their oil into the special container at the RRC. The oil is collected by a specialist company called Living Fuels who recycle the oil into bioliquid. This generates green electricity and heat for customers all around the UK. One litre of used cooking iol can generate enough electricity to make 240 cups of tea.

Redbridge Council is always looking for new ways to recycle waste and knows that residents and the environment will benefit from services provided.

Article via Redbridge Council website.

Recycled cooking oil saves money and energy in Hertfordshire

07 December, 2011, 0 comments

If you’ve been recycling used cooking oil at the Hertfordshire County Council Household Waste Recycling Centres then you’ve been helping to reduce the cost of repairs to damaged drains and watercourses and also providing electricity to power the National Grid.

That’s the message that Hertfordshire County Council and its residents are celebrating after being presented with a certificate by green energy company Living Fuels, praising them for recycling enough used cooking oil to provide the energy to make over 5 million cups of tea!

Used cooking oil has traditionally been difficult to dispose of and research has shown that the majority of householders in the UK are still throwing it down the sink. However getting rid of used cooking oil this way not only harms watercourses and wildlife but adds to your bill from water companies who have to spend on average £15 million per year to service drains blocked with fats and grease.

Many Hertfordshire residents are already recycling used cooking oil responsibly, thanks to a scheme pioneered by Living Fuels, in partnership with Hertfordshire County Council. Living Fuels provides used cooking oil tanks at sites around the county for residents to dispose of their oil. Once collected, the dirty oil is recovered into a clean, green bioliquid called LF100 through a 100% natural process involving no additional chemicals or heat. In turn, that fuels CHP (combined heat and power) units which generate carbon-neutral electricity and heat that is fed into the National Grid.

Rob Murphy, Operations Director of Living Fuels said: “Pouring oil down the drain has been causing problems with the Victorian drainage system in the UK for a while now, and the problem is only going to keep getting worse if people aren’t educated about the perils of tipping their waste oil down the drain. By recycling your used cooking oil, you really are benefitting the environment. Living Fuels are proud to be working with the people of Hertfordshire to help reduce the county’s carbon footprint and save money on water bills.”

Derrick Ashley, Cabinet Member for Transformation, Performance and Waste Management, said: “Hertfordshire residents work really hard to do their bit to protect the environment by recycling and reducing waste. However, by disposing of cooking oil responsibly we can make even more of a difference. This is a win, win scenario as the cooking oil tanks are free to use at our HWRCs around the county and by using them, residents are protecting the environment and ultimately reducing their water bills as well.”

Visit www.wasteaware.org.uk/ to find your nearest Hertfordshire Household Waste Recycling Centre that takes waste vegetable oil or for general information about recycling and centre opening hours. For further information about recycling oil at other sites visit www.livingfuels.co.uk.

Hartlepool Residents Turn Fry-ups into Electricity

18 November, 2011, 1 comment

Millions of pounds are being tipped down the drain every year in the UK as a direct result of pouring used cooking oil down the sink rather than it being recycled.

Now Hartlepool residents have an easy way to recycle their waste cooking oil locally, helping to cut taxpayers’ £15M annual bill for cleaning up drains and watercourses damaged by waste fats.

The waste oil collected The Burn Road Household Waste Recycling Centre will now be converted to clean electricity.

Green energy firm Living Fuels has placed the tank at the site in partnership with Hartlepool Borough Council and JB Recycling.

Living Fuels collects the waste oil and refines it through a 100 per cent natural process to produce a patented bioliquid which in turn powers specially-designed engines to supply safe, clean, renewable electricity to the National Grid.

Rob Murphy, Operations Director or Living Fuels said: “Just one litre of used cooking oil that we collect generates enough renewable electricity through our chemical-free processing to make 240 cups of tea.
“Since we started out three years we have collected enough waste oil to power 5,000 UK homes for a year.
“But we can still do much, much more so I’m delighted that environmentally-conscious Hartlepool residents can now recycle their used cooking oil and help the fight against dangerous climate change.”

ITV Calendar coverage of the Leeds North power station opening.

15 November, 2011, 0 comments

ITV Calendar footage of our recent Leeds North power station opening, detailing the benefits of a power station run on recovered vegetable oil.

Click here to view the clip