Centennial Citizen > News
Recycle Thanksgiving oil
By Paige Ingram
Not only can Thanksgiving leftovers be recycled into a weekend full of turkey sandwiches, but that oil used to cook the turkey can also have a new home.
Rocky Mountain Sustainable Enterprises is working with several cities across the state — including Littleton — to divert hundreds of gallons of used cooking oil away from landfills and sewer systems.
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 29, area residents can dump their oil into barrels set up at the Littleton City Center, 2255 W. Berry Ave.
It’s the first year for Littleton to take part in the event, which has served Arvada, Aurora, Boulder, Longmont and more for many years. However, it’s not the first environmental step for Littleton. In fact, the city’s reputation is what led to its inclusion in this year’s collection.
The city recently was awarded the Bronze Tier of the Environmental Leadership Program from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The award recognizes significant achievements in improving the environment of Colorado through many avenues, including improving air and water quality, reducing water and energy usage, environmental education and land-use improvements or protection. Earlier this year the city also decided to make all their municipal offices “green,” offering extensive recycling options for employees and visitors to city buildings.
“Since we got this environmental leadership award I’m just getting bombarded with all kinds of things,” said Kelli Narde, communications director with the city. “The exposure from that award is leading to more and more entities contacting us.”
The benefits of recycling cooking oil are two-fold: not only is it eliminating an environmental hazard, but the oil can be reused as biofuel.
Rocky Mountain Sustainable Enterprise is developing a biodiesel production facility in Fort Morgan that will produce renewable biodiesel fuel from waste feedstocks, including the waste cooking oil collected through its recycOil service.
In addition to collecting from city residents recycOil also provides service to more than 2,000 restaurants, commercial food facilities and municipal recycling centers throughout the Rocky Mountain region.
Those interested can drop by the City Center, ready to dump. City staff have volunteered to man the collection — complete with disposable coveralls to protect their clothing from spills.
If it’s successful, Narde said the city will likely make recycOil a regular event.
Rocky Mountain Sustainable Enterprises is working with several cities across the state — including Littleton — to divert hundreds of gallons of used cooking oil away from landfills and sewer systems.
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 29, area residents can dump their oil into barrels set up at the Littleton City Center, 2255 W. Berry Ave.
It’s the first year for Littleton to take part in the event, which has served Arvada, Aurora, Boulder, Longmont and more for many years. However, it’s not the first environmental step for Littleton. In fact, the city’s reputation is what led to its inclusion in this year’s collection.
The city recently was awarded the Bronze Tier of the Environmental Leadership Program from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The award recognizes significant achievements in improving the environment of Colorado through many avenues, including improving air and water quality, reducing water and energy usage, environmental education and land-use improvements or protection. Earlier this year the city also decided to make all their municipal offices “green,” offering extensive recycling options for employees and visitors to city buildings.
“Since we got this environmental leadership award I’m just getting bombarded with all kinds of things,” said Kelli Narde, communications director with the city. “The exposure from that award is leading to more and more entities contacting us.”
The benefits of recycling cooking oil are two-fold: not only is it eliminating an environmental hazard, but the oil can be reused as biofuel.
Rocky Mountain Sustainable Enterprise is developing a biodiesel production facility in Fort Morgan that will produce renewable biodiesel fuel from waste feedstocks, including the waste cooking oil collected through its recycOil service.
In addition to collecting from city residents recycOil also provides service to more than 2,000 restaurants, commercial food facilities and municipal recycling centers throughout the Rocky Mountain region.
Those interested can drop by the City Center, ready to dump. City staff have volunteered to man the collection — complete with disposable coveralls to protect their clothing from spills.
If it’s successful, Narde said the city will likely make recycOil a regular event.
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