Thread: Oil Supplies

Originally Posted by gak

If I don't have access to used vegitable oil, is it still ecconomic to buy new oil to use in the biodiesel manufacturing process and where is the best place to buy this ? Thanks

GAK,
The cheapest price to buy NEW vegetable oil is from an oilseed processor. In WA, you can buy degummed canola from the processor at around 80c/litre if buying in bulk.
Even after adding biodiesel processing costs, this is still significantly cheaper than the petroleum alternative.

You would need to locate oilseed processors in your area, as the freight costs from WA to the Eastern States would be prohibitive.

If anyone out there is interested in showing me how to process WVO, it appears that I will be coming into possession of 200 litres of WVO. I'm in Kellyville, in western Sydney and can be contacted on 0412 479 123. The oil is probably two weeks away.

Originally Posted by Bob

If anyone out there is interested in showing me how to process WVO, it appears that I will be coming into possession of 200 litres of WVO. I'm in Kellyville, in western Sydney and can be contacted on 0412 479 123. The oil is probably two weeks away.

Bob,
Do you mean processthe oil so that it
1, can be used as a fuel in a converted diesel vehicle? or
2, converted to biodiesel?
If the former, simply run it thru a 5 micron filter and put it into hte heated veggie tank in your vehicle.

If the second, then read up on the biodiesel process in this forum.

Originally Posted by Tony From West Oz

GAK,
The cheapest price to buy NEW vegetable oil is from an oilseed processor. In WA, you can buy degummed canola from the processor at around 80c/litre if buying in bulk.
Even after adding biodiesel processing costs, this is still significantly cheaper than the petroleum alternative.

You would need to locate oilseed processors in your area, as the freight costs from WA to the Eastern States would be prohibitive.

Tring to find an oilseed processor in NSW is not that easy.

At the moment I have given up my dream of making bio-diesel as all the places round here to get WVO have got it already being taken from them for a price meaning that they are getting income from it really strange.

And finding somewere to buy new oil has not been easy

Originally Posted by gak

If I don't have access to used vegitable oil, is it still ecconomic to buy new oil to use in the biodiesel manufacturing process and where is the best place to buy this ? Thanks

i can buy 205 litre of new ,(reject food grade) canola for about 65c a litre
exchange drum, may be able to get some if it helps, (limited supply)

Originally Posted by Jacka

At the moment I have given up my dream of making bio-diesel as all the places round here to get WVO have got it already being taken from them for a price meaning that they are getting income from it really strange.

And finding somewere to buy new oil has not been easy

David,

I was talking to someone at the picnic today who said they are getting oil from a place that previously was paying a collector $600 a month to take the oil away. Apparently the guy is not only now getting a good supply of oil, they also get free meals when ever they go to the place because the manager is so happy to be saving all this money every month.

I suggested it a few weeks back that it might be a good idea to ring some of the collection companies and see what the deal is with oil collections. Same may be buying the oil and some may be being paid to take it away.
If we could find out who is charging and who is paying and if there are any volume break points, we could solve the oil dilema for everyone.

In chatting to people today, I also noticed that many with oil supply problems come from the same general area. Perhaps a thread could be started by those in need of oil and something organised between yourselves. If there were enough people to use the stuff, you may be able to hit one or two of the larger places and possibly take over the collection of the oil from one of the companies.

IF anyone is interested, I would be happy to post some tips and suggestions for oil collecting based on my limited but seemingly successful experiences and info of how I have gone about approaching places.

As for new oil, I was driving past a small surburban corner shop the other day and they had 20L tins of oil out the front for $19.99. I don't know what the oil was, it may have been corn oil. A few days later I took a shortcut and also noticed another shop with cheap oil ( and boxes of washing powder). They had corn, sunflower and some other oil for $21 a tin.
At this price it may not be very attractive to bio users but for those running SVO it may be a worthwhile alternative to diesel if you couldn't secure a supply of WVO.
At least with new oil you could pour it straight in with no processing.

Seeing no one else seems to have done it or posted about it, I followed up my suggestion of contacting the oil collectors this morning. ( don't know why I did it, I have heaps of oil, you guys keep making bio out of it and burning it in your cars!
How you ever going to build up a stockpile if you keep using it all the time?

I rang all the companies I could find on the web and in the Sydney yellow pages. Some of the bigger garbage companies said they collected waste oil in their ads on on their website but when I rang, it was either motor oil or they didn't collect cooking oil at all.
These companies all refered me to either Auscol or scanline.

In Summary, all the companies I spoke to collect the oil for free. I couldn't find anyone who either charged to collect or paid for the oil. All provide drums for free which is their prefered collection method although they will take tins and some will provide tanks.

My story was I am about to open a 200 Seat resturant in Bankstown and anticipated doing 100-200L a week in used oil. The resturabt has a yard that can accomodate several 200L drums or a tank and has rear lane acess.
Most companies didn't ask about qty till after they had told me about their collection service so qty dosen't seem to be a big concern other than wether to provide a tank or drum(s).

Auscol.
Was refered to this company by most of the other companies I contacted that don't collect cooking oil.
Will collect 20L tins if lids are on. 10 tins or 200L prefered pickup minimum.
Will collect at virtually any time a load of oil is ready.

Scanline.
Provide drums and tanks. Collection anytime but normally scheduled to when client fills drums, weekly, fortnightly etc.

All Sydney
Come to riverwood weekly and would come to Bankstown. Provide drums or 500L tanks.

Coastal
Based on central coast. Come to sydney weekly but schedule areas to certain weeks of the month. Bankstown was last week in the month.
This company was the only one that mentioned the driver leaves dockets of when and how much oil collected should there be any problem with councils or EPA. Didn't ask anyone else about this as they were the last company I rang.

If anyone knows of any other collection companies, I would like to know of them and what their modus operandi is.
Yesterday at the picnic I spoke to people who said the collectors in their area paid the resturants for the used oil and I also had someone telling me places were paying to have the oil taken away. I couldn't find either of these but if their are companies out there doing it, would be good to know who and if their operations are area specific.

So, How does this info help BD'ers?
As these companies above are not paying for the oil, it means there is no difference to the places that use the oil wether they let the companies take it away or wether they give it to a BD'er. If a person were to see drums out the back of a place from one of these companies, there is no reason that with the right approach that you couldn't get the shop owners to give you the oil instead of the companies.

I think with the right approach, ( buy some food off them) there is no reason why they would not give you the oil if you ask and come across in the right way. The places I am getting oil from all had companies collecting it and all it took for me to get it was to ask for it.

I think the oil is out there, it's just that the companies are getting most of it. As long as a person comes across as someone that will take the oil away reliably and not leave any mess in the process, we actually have everything going for us to get the oil over the collectors. Everyone loves the underdog so why would a shop owner give their oil to a big business when they could give it to a regular person ESPECIALLY if they were a CUSTOMER.

I think it wouldn't be a bad opening line to use on a shop owner when you approach them to say, " Gday, mate, I'm wondering if you may be able to help me out?" Tell them you use the oil in your vechicle and would they mind giving it to you instead of the collectors?
Why would the shop owner say no?
If you can think of anything, work out an answer or address the cause for rejection before you approach them so you are ready to address their objection before hand and therefore leave them with no reason not to give it to you.
Remember, we are only asking to take away something they want to get rid of not for money from their pockets!

If you find a place and they were doing more oil than what you needed, you could ask if they would put a certain amount in tins for you or better still, collect the lot and offer your excess to other BD'ers that are having trouble finding oil. You may also like to let another person know where it is and come to an agreement of how much each person takes every week.

Hopefully some people will use this info to secure a supply of oil from the collectors. When you do, remember the guy that gave you the tip and don't forget to mention him in your will.

Good post David..... looks like we're both in Beirut. I can be found most days outside the small cafe opposite the Comm Bank.
Easy to spot, I'm the only Aussie!

Johnudon on Skype.

I agree , it was an excelent post. I am still having problems getting waste oil - either scanline or auscol already have these people - and they are unwilling to change - even when i mention i am buying lunch from then on a regular basis - and the collector is not.

so far my score is 3 from 29 places i have approached -- and of those 3 - 1 is a friend and they all use LARD -- can not find anyone with vegie oil that is willing to let me take it.....

I guess i will just keep trying .....


Boc