A scheme to collect fats, oils and grease from restaurants and takeaways in St Ives and convert it into biodiesel was successfully launched in the town on Wednesday, 30 January.
 
The venture launched by Huntingdonshire District Council, Anglian Water and J & H Bunn, the licensed operator who will collect the fats, oils and grease twice a month, has already sparked a great deal of interest with more than a dozen town businesses signing up and many more expected in the weeks ahead
 
Collette Nicholls, of Anglian Water, said: “This is a unique partnership between ourselves and the community of St Ives and we look forward to being able to roll out the scheme out to other towns in the district and indeed, our whole region.
 
“Fat and oils in sewers is harming our environment and our pockets. We have spoken to businesses that are spending £400 every other month on clearing their own pipes because they are blocked with fat. Keeping our sewers clear costs more than £5millilon across the region and with the right education it could also be easily avoidable.”
 
Huntingdonshire District Councils Environmental Health Officer Belinda Betham said: “We are very happy to support this initiative, which will help caterers to manage the disposal of waste cooking oil hygienically.  We encourage caterers to sign up to the free service, which we hope can be extended to cover all of Huntingdonshire in the near future.”
 
David Harrod, of J & H Bunn, said: "We see this project as an ideal fit between public and private sectors working together for the good of the local community. The free service we are offering commercial kitchens for the collection of used cooking oil, ticks all the right boxes for everyone in terms of recycling the oil into a locally produced, sustainable, carbon-neutral and renewable biodiesel, which in turn is used to power vehicles in East Anglia. It really is a win-win situation."
 
Anyone wanting to join the free waste cooking oil collection scheme should call J & H Bunn 0800 977 7847. Bunn’s is licensed to carry waste and to convert biodiesel. The firm is currently collecting around 12,000 litres a week and making 2000 litres of biodiesel.