McDonald's makes a first in India, converts used cooking oil into biodiesel

McDonald's became the first fast-food restaurant in the country to use biodiesel, produced from used cooking oil, to fuel its trucks as companies increasingly adopt sustainable development initiatives

. The McDonald's franchisee in the West and South of India said that it annually converted 4.5 liters of liters of used cooking oil (ie more than 35,000 liters per month) in biodiesel. According to Vikram Ogale, director of the National Supply Chain and Quality Assurance, McDonald's India (West and South), it is used to power 20-25 trucks that carry supplies in about 275 restaurants.

"We launched the initiative a year ago on an experimental basis in Mumbai and have since stepped up the operation.We now cover 50% of our stores and we plan to reach the 275 restaurants in the west and south of India. "

Covering 275 restaurants, Hardcastle is expected to increase its biodiesel production by 67% to 7.5 liters of liters per year so that 20-25 trucks The long-term plan is to cover nearly 500 stores in four years in both markets (west and south), which implies an even greater increase in biodiesel production.

M Ogale said his company was working towards this goal in partnership with local player Unicon Biofuels, which converts used cooking oil into biodiesel. "We have been working with them (Unicon) for a year and we are satisfied with the result. ", said Ogale. the investment in the conversion of used cooking oil into biofuels, adding that the initiative could cover other stages of distribution (eg targeting trucks of ingredient suppliers). )

. Restaurant chains have already stepped up their efforts to reduce plastic consumption in Mumbai and in other parts of Maharashtra, following a ban on plastic in the state. They did it by introducing paper containers, straws and plates, glbad bottles and even steel lunch boxes.

McDonald's launched in recent years a number of sustainable initiatives in India, including McDonald's globally commits to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 36% in restaurants by 2030, as well as to reduce the intensity of emissions per metric ton of food and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 31 percent packing