Now that fuel prices are soaring as is the need for bio-derived fuels, used kitchen grease is getting stolen and sold on the black market. Restaurants that prepare fried foods are targeted as they typically store larger quantities of the used oil. And it smells pretty awful, so it’s usually stored outdoors towards the rear of the building…which makes it susceptible to theft.
A typical fast-food restaurant produces 150 to 250 pounds of grease a week. Many do not even know when a theft occurs because it usually happens overnight. Most security cameras and night watchmen are focused on cash registers, not the trash.
“Who do you go after?” said Jason Christensen, a trader of fats and oils for the AgriTrading Corporation, in Minnesota. “I sense you’ll start seeing more surveillance equipment put in to monitor these storage facilities at the restaurant. As the price goes up, you can afford to spend a little more to protect your interest.”
In 2000, yellow grease was trading for 7.6 cents per pound. On Thursday, its price was about 33 cents a pound, or almost $2.50 a gallon.
New York Times – As Oil Prices Soar Restaurant Grease Thefts Rise
[via treehugger]
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