12 Aug Questions and answers on the management of used vegetable oil in the catering industry
Link to Diario de Ibiza’s article (12/08/2020)
Hotel industry plays a key role in helping to protect the environment. For example, by correctly managing the removal of used vegetable oil from their kitchens. A single drop of oil in the water can cause enormous problems in the sewage system and in the treatment plants. To comply with regulations and protect the environment, companies in Ibiza and Formentera can count on the know-how and experience of a leading company like Ca Na Negreta S. A., with 40 years of experience in the field of waste management and treatment.
Ca Na Negreta S.A. started as a centre for buying and selling scrap metal and metals, but after 40 years, it has established itself as a reference company in the management of all types of waste .
That’s right, in recent years there has been an increase in business in line with the demand for these services both in Ibiza and Formentera, mainly with the management of industrial waste, crane service, deixalleries and above all in the collection and management of used cooking oil.
How many years have you been collecting used cooking oil on the Pitiusas Islands?
Since 2009 we have been collecting used oil from hotels and restaurants. In addition, we collect used oil from the public orange containers on the street, which are the responsibility of the Town Halls and the Council of Ibiza. We are authorized by the Balearic Government with NIMA 0700000022 and the hazardous waste manager number 04G0100000040 and non-hazardous waste 04G040000007057. We also have the ISCC certification of energy sustainability with number PL214-39570220.
What means do you have to serve your customers?
Our company has a staff of 94 professionals and 45 vehicles. For the service of collecting used cooking oil we have exclusively 2 commercials and 5 drivers (3 in Ibiza and 2 in Formentera) in addition we have the support of the warehouse staff, office and environmental technicians. We also have 2 platforms with our own 25,000 litre tanks to transport the oil to the treatment plant.
What requirements does a facility need to have used oil removed?
It is very simple. The customer can register in the customer area of the website: www.reciclanegreta.com at no cost. Our salesperson will contact him/her to send him/her the necessary drums and will give him/her a waste treatment contract, prior to the collection according to the current legislation.
Once registered, you will be provided with a user code to access our mobile APP and the free website where you can request the removal of oil, as well as consult and download all the environmental documentation 24 hours a day and free of charge.
What obligations does an establishment that generates used vegetable oils have?
The establishment must have a waste treatment contract with an authorised manager in accordance with Royal Decree 553/2020 on the transfer of waste, which modifies the previous Royal Decree 180/2015, as well as a chronological file with the history of its collections. We provide the client with this contract, as well as the chronological file, which is available both in the mobile application and on the website we have for clients.
Does this contract require any kind of permanence?
No, at Ca Na Negreta we do not require any permanence or exclusivity, it only complies with the waste regulations. The contract system has to be flexible, if the customer is happy he will continue with the service and if not, he has to be able to choose freely. An example would be the Netflix-type platforms, where you can sign up and unsubscribe whenever you want without having to give an explanation.
How do you remove the waste?
We want to make the work as easy as possible and speed up the collections. When our operators go to remove the container with used oil, we leave another empty and completely clean, so we do not leave any oil behind, which facilitates hygiene and speed of service. We believe that kitchens should be clean and hygienic places and that in the case of an inspection, all the regulations should be complied with.
So, can a cook request the removal of oil by the mobile APP when the kitchen is closed, at any time?
Yes, during the 24 hours the request is registered. We are carrying out the change of drum to our customers in one or two working days.
Have you noticed a decrease in collections this year due to the pandemic?
It is true that many hotels and restaurants have not opened, so there is less production, but we have hardly noticed it as we have increased the number of new clients who have asked us this year to withdraw used oil. Despite the global crisis, we are still paying