Hiroshima announces UCO recycling programme for SAF

Hiroshima-based Fresta, Kokubu Nishi Nippon, Ueda Oil and ENEOS Corporation have announced an agreement to collect used cooking oil disposal in Hiroshima City to be used for production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

The initiative, beginning immediately, will involve residents of Hiroshima City depositing their used cooking oil at six designated Fresta supermarket locations. Kokubu Nishi Nippon’s existing logistics network will collect the oil as return cargo on their delivery trucks. The collected oil will then be stored in Kokubu Nishi Nippon’s warehouse before being transported to Ueda Oil.

“Specifically, the business involves collecting household waste cooking oil currently being discarded in Hiroshima City at six Fresta stores in the city, and utilising Kokubu Nishi Nippon’s logistics network, collecting the waste cooking oil as return cargo on delivery trucks,” said a joint press release issued by the company. The long-term goal of the agreement is to supply ENEOS with the collected waste cooking oil for the production of SAF, which will then be supplied to airports. Until ENEOS’s SAF production plant is operational, Ueda Oil will process the oil into biodiesel and soap.

Japan, alongside international bodies like the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), has set ambitious goals for SAF adoption. The nation aims to increase SAF usage within its domestic aviation industry by 2030, driving the development and production of domestically sourced SAF.

Japan produces approximately 500,000 tons of used cooking oil annually from various sources, including households, restaurants, and food factories. While some of this oil is recycled for animal feed or exported, a significant portion is discarded. This new initiative aims to capture this valuable resource and repurpose it for sustainable fuel production.