Municipality of Central Corfu and Diapontia Islands: Establishment of a municipal network of separate collection of cooking oils for the first time in history.
The Municipality of Central Corfu and Diapontia Islands willing to celebrate World Environment Day (which is celebrated every year on the 5th of June) this year is pleased to announce the establishment of a municipal network for the separate collection of cooking oils for the first time in history, which was proposed and approved in the recent Municipal Council (May 30, 2023).
As a continuation of the efforts for a smooth and stable development of “Separation at Source” that will lead to the sustainable management of our waste, the new separate collection network will arise through the installation of a network of special separate collection bins that will ensure the subsequent separate transport and sustainable management of used cooking oils in the Municipality of Central Corfu and Diapontia Islands.
The term “cooking oils” refers to used cooking – edible oils and fats used for eating or preparing food in homes, catering, and hospitality businesses (restaurants, hotels, cafeterias, catering, etc.).
After their initial use, cooking oils are no longer suitable for further eating or re-entering the food chain in any way. The prevailing practice of their uncontrolled discharge into the sewer system causes severe environmental and practical problems because they are not fully biodegradable, such as:
- Disposing of even one liter of cooking oil into the sea can cause serious pollution with highly significant negative consequences for all species of animals and plants that live in it.
- Disposing of cooking oils in the soil reduces its productive capacity, as it prevents the roots of plants from “communicating” with water, while at the same time, the underground water table is polluted.
- Disposing of them cumulatively in the sewer creates blockage problems in the sewage network and in the biological cleaning facilities, due to the formation of a hard layer from their accumulation, as well as additional consumption of electricity in the biological cleaning facilities of the city.
- Also, the recycling of cooking oils is an excellent option for the production of alternative sources of energy, such as biodiesel as well as other industrial materials such as lubricants for agricultural machinery, glycerine, etc., thus contributing to the reduction of the effects of climate change and the overall environmental footprint from their use.
As Mayor Meropi – Spyridoula Ydraiou reports: “Our municipal authority will continue its efforts unceasingly until the goal is reached. In other words, let’s see Corfu exactly as it deserves, as a “green”, sustainable and “smart” European tourist destination”.