From Fryer to Fuel
Turn your school canteen’s used cooking oil into clean biodiesel. Safe, simple, and fully tracked on Circular.ph.
Why used cooking oil matters
Philippine school canteens generate thousands of litres of UCO yearly. Without recovery, most of it becomes pollution — or worse, re-enters the food supply through illegal recycling.
Environmental risk
One litre of UCO can contaminate up to 1 million litres of water. Improper disposal clogs sewers and damages aquatic ecosystems.
Public health threat
Illegally reprocessed UCO (‘sebo’) has been found in street food and informal markets, carrying carcinogenic compounds.
Circular opportunity
UCO is an excellent feedstock for biodiesel. Every litre recovered replaces fossil fuel and cuts greenhouse emissions.
How the UCO program works
Four simple steps from your canteen fryer to a certified circular recovery chain.
Safe Collection
Canteen staff pour cooled UCO into sealed, labelled containers provided by Circular.ph partners.
Scheduled Pickup
Certified collectors visit on a fixed schedule — no storage buildup, no spills, no odors.
Biodiesel Conversion
UCO is filtered, processed, and converted into clean B100 biodiesel at accredited facilities.
Impact Tracking
Schools see litres recovered, CO₂ avoided, and SDG alignment in their Circular.ph dashboard.
Safe handling guidelines
Protect your staff, your community, and your canteen’s circular score with these simple rules.
Do
- Let oil cool to room temperature before pouring.
- Use only clean, sealed HDPE containers with tight lids.
- Label containers with collection date and canteen name.
- Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
- Report full containers via the Circular.ph dashboard for pickup.
Don't
- Never pour UCO down drains or sewers — it clogs pipes and pollutes waterways.
- Do not mix UCO with water, food scraps, or other liquids.
- Avoid storing in open buckets — oxidation and spills create slip hazards.
- Do not reuse containers that held chemicals or non-food substances.
- Never sell UCO to unaccredited buyers — it may re-enter the food chain.
Every litre is circular
When your canteen joins the UCO program, you are not just disposing of waste — you are feeding a closed-loop energy cycle. Biodiesel from UCO burns cleaner than regular diesel, supports local green jobs, and earns your school measurable circular economy credentials.
Who can join
The UCO program is open to all Circular.ph-registered school canteens, with priority given to public schools under the GEPP Green Pledge.
Public schools
Fully subsidized collection and conversion tracking for DepEd-managed canteens under GEPP.
Private schools
Co-funded collection with transparent pricing. Full dashboard access and reporting included.
LGU clusters
Municipalities can pool UCO from multiple schools for economies of scale and shared impact reporting.
Ready to close the loop on cooking oil?
Join the growing network of Philippine school canteens turning waste into clean energy.