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Top Used Cooking Oil Collection in Tyler, Texas Ranked
For restaurants and food service establishments in Tyler, managing used cooking oil (UCO) is more than just a routine cleanup task-it's a regulated process with significant environmental and financial implications. Proper grease trap and oil collection is mandated by local ordinances to protect the city's sewer infrastructure from harmful Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG). By partnering with a licensed hauler, Tyler businesses can transform a waste product into valuable commodities like biodiesel, potentially turning a disposal cost into a revenue stream while ensuring full compliance with Tyler and Texas state regulations.
Understanding Tyler's FOG Ordinance and Legal Requirements
Compliance is the cornerstone of any used cooking oil and grease management program in Tyler. The city has specific rules designed to prevent sewer blockages and environmental damage.
- Permitted Haulers Only: Businesses cannot transport their own grease trap waste or used oil off-site without a valid City permit. This means you must contract with a licensed, permitted liquid waste hauler for regular collection and disposal 1 2.
- Grease Trap/Interceptor Mandate: Food service facilities are required to install and properly maintain grease traps or interceptors. These devices capture FOG before it enters the wastewater system. Tyler's code specifies minimum capacity requirements, such as a 750-gallon trap for certain establishments, and mandates regular cleaning and maintenance 2 3.
- State-Level Oversight: The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) regulates used oil as a recyclable material. Collection centers must register with the TCEQ, and it is illegal to dump used cooking oil on land, into storm drains, or into the sanitary sewer system 4 5.
Best Practices for On-Site Oil Storage and Security
Safe and secure storage is critical for operational efficiency, safety, and maximizing the value of your used oil.
- Dedicated Storage Containers: Collection companies typically provide secure, leak-proof storage bins ranging from 40 to 300 gallons. These should be placed in a designated, accessible area for pickup, often outdoors near a loading dock or dumpster enclosure 6 7.
- Prioritize Oil Quality: Using a drain screen or filter when transferring oil from fryers to storage bins helps keep out food particles and water. Cleaner oil is more valuable to recyclers and can qualify for higher rebates 8 9.
- Prevent Theft and Tampering: Used cooking oil has a market value, making it a target for theft. Securing bins with locks and placing them in well-lit, monitored areas is a recommended best practice to protect your asset 7 10.
The Journey from Fryer to Fuel: The Recycling Process
When you participate in a professional used cooking oil collection program, you're feeding into a sophisticated recycling supply chain.
- Collection: Staff store cooled UCO in the provided secure containers.
- Pickup: On a scheduled basis (weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly), your permitted hauler arrives to pump out or swap the full containers.
- Processing & Recycling: The collected oil is transported to a processing facility where it is cleaned and purified. The primary end product is biodiesel, a renewable, clean-burning fuel alternative. UCO can also be refined into ingredients for soap, cosmetics, and animal feed supplements 8 1 11.
This circular economy model ensures that your kitchen waste is diverted from landfills and given a productive second life.
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Financial Considerations: Costs, Rebates, and Revenue
The economics of used cooking oil collection in Tyler can vary significantly based on your volume and oil quality. It's not a one-size-fits-all model.
- Low-Volume Establishments: If your restaurant generates less than 100 gallons of used oil per month, many collection services will provide pickup and recycling at no charge, simply to keep the oil out of the waste stream 8 9.
- Medium to High-Volume Establishments: For businesses producing 100 gallons or more per month, rebate programs often apply. Payments can range from $0.10 to $0.25 per gallon for moderate volumes, and can reach $0.25 to $0.65 or more per gallon for high-volume generators with clean, high-quality oil 8 9.
- The Quality Premium: The cleaner your oil (free of water, food sediment, and other contaminants), the more valuable it is to recyclers. Maintaining good storage practices directly impacts your potential rebate.
By generating a rebate, a well-managed UCO program can offset the cost of grease trap cleaning services and even become a minor source of ancillary revenue, all while ensuring regulatory compliance.
Getting Started with a Collection Service in Tyler
Implementing or evaluating your used cooking oil collection program involves a few key steps.
- Assess Your Volume: Track how much oil you use and dispose of over a typical week or month to understand your generation rate.
- Research Local Providers: Contact several licensed liquid waste haulers and specialized used cooking oil recyclers that service the Tyler area. Ensure they are permitted with the City of Tyler.
- Request Proposals: Ask for detailed quotes that outline service frequency, provided equipment (bins, locks), pickup terms, and any rebate or payment structure based on your volume and oil quality.
- Formalize Service: Once you select a provider, they will typically deliver and set up storage containers and establish a pickup schedule that fits your kitchen's operation 8 12.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
Footnotes
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ARTICLE V. LIQUID WASTE AND GREASE - https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/tyler/latest/tyler_tx/0-0-0-93690 ↩ ↩2
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Sec. 19-120 General Sewer Use Requirements - https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/tyler/latest/tyler_tx/0-0-0-93836 ↩ ↩2
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Tyler City Council approves ordinance on grease, grit traps at local ... - https://tylerpaper.com/2019/02/13/tyler-city-council-approves-ordinance-on-grease-grit-traps-at-local-businesses/ ↩
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Used Oil Recycling Program - https://www.tceq.texas.gov/permitting/registration/used_oil/recycling.html ↩
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Used Oil: Collection - https://www.tceq.texas.gov/permitting/registration/used_oil/collection.html ↩
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Used Cooking Oil Pickup vs Drop-Off - GreasePros Recycling - https://www.greaseprosrecycling.com/used-cooking-oil-pickup-vs-drop-off/ ↩
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Grease Collection Service: What is it - https://www.grandnaturalinc.com/blog/what-is-grease-collection-service.html ↩ ↩2
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Used Cooking Oil Disposal: Complete Guide to Grease Pickups - https://greaseconnections.com/used-cooking-oil-disposal-guide-grease-pickups/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5
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Restaurant Used Cooking Oil Recycling & Disposal Guide - https://greaseconnections.com/restaurant-used-cooking-oil-disposal-recycling-revenue-guide/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3
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Restaurant Oil Disposal: Explained - Eazy Grease - https://eazygrease.com/how-do-restaurants-get-rid-of-their-oil/ ↩
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Used Cooking Oil (UCO) Collection Service For Restaurants - https://thegreasecompany.com/blog/restaurant-used-cooking-oil-collection/ ↩
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Cooking Oil Recycle - How to Implement a Used Cooking Oil Recycling Program - https://www.fcs-inc.org/implement-a-used-cooking-oil-recycling-program/ ↩
