Electrical and electronic equipment

IRAGAZIZ IRABAZI

ATTACHABLE FILTER FOR WASTE VEGETABLE OIL COLLECTION DRUMS

CATERING AND HOTEL ESTABLISHMENTS GENERATING COOKED VEGETABLE OIL with a percentage of solid impurities and humidity of less than 15% must make it available to an approved management body. In practice, this percentage is often more than double, which means food waste has to be transported to and filtered in a facility at the operator’s plant. EKOLIO has also identified the need to improve the quality of the oil collected, a critical factor to obtain benefits in the recycled oil value chain. Furthermore, the company has a customer loyalty policy and operates on a market highly influenced by economic cycles, through environmental innovation and anticipating the environmental legislation that affects the sector and the company itself.

EKOLIO, a company dedicated to managing waste oil from the hotel and catering industry in Gipuzkoa, leads IRAGAZIZ IRABAZI, with the collaboration of OTEITZA LIZEO POLITEKNIKOA and the eco-design and LCA consultancy, IK INGENIERIA.

EKOLIO
OBJECTIVES
  • Improve the quality of used oil collected in the Basque Country by filtering oil at source to reduce organic waste present by 50%.
  • Develop an eco-designed filter that can be attached to collection drums located at the collection point.
  • Involve professionals from the hospitality sector, given the variety of drums and the large number of waste collection points.
RESULTS
  • The LCA revealed that 95% of the environmental impact is due to stainless steel extraction, a material that is nevertheless a fundamental requirement set by health standards.
  • Design of a filter consisting of two filtering systems with stainless steel mesh, adaptable to different types of drums.
  • Manufacture of a filter prototype with a unique filtration system that is adaptable to the drums and the mesh developed.
  • This unique filter saves 1.92 kg of steel per filter, reducing raw material consumption by 68%, manufacturing energy consumption by 50% and the environmental impact associated with transporting the filter by 73%. In addition, carbon footprint has been reduced by 57% and the overall environmental impact by 65% through the entire life cycle.
  • Landfill waste reduction amounted to 2 tonnes per year.
CONCLUSIONS
  • EKOLIO has manufactured a prototype filter that is practical, durable, recyclable, replaceable, hygienic, easy-to-clean, easy to attach and adapt, ergonomic and safe-to-use for catering professionals, hoteliers and authorised waste managers, all thanks to eco-design methodology.
  • The participation of hospitality sector end-users has been significant and crucial in the filter selection among the various options designed and analysed.
  • For industrialisation and commercialisation purposes, the types of drums will be reduced and replaced with the three types of drums covered by the eco-designed filter. A corporate environmental communication strategy will be implemented at congresses, trade fairs, newspapers and specialised journals in collaboration with the Gipuzkoa Recycling Cluster and Ihobe.

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