Hospitals powering London's cabs with used cooking oil

Guy's and St Thomas' is helping to power the capital’s black cabs with used cooking oil from its kitchens. 

Each month the Trust supplies around 400 litres of used oil to Uptown Oil, based just one mile from Guy’s Hospital. It is then blended to make biofuel for the taxis, as well as for generators in local businesses. 

Biodiesel produced from waste is one of the most environmentally sustainable transport fuels available.

Ed Van Reenen, contract sustainability manager at the Trust, says: “We wanted a local solution for reprocessing the oil so it didn’t go to waste. It’s good for us as it reduces waste disposal costs and lowers the risk of drain and sewer blockages, and it benefits London taxis because it provides a very low carbon fuel.”

The Trust started recycling its waste oil in April 2014.

Facts

• 1 litre used oil = 1 litre biodiesel
• Each litre of biodiesel used in place of fossil diesel saves 2.6kg of CO2
• 400 litres each month saves 12,480kg of CO2 a year or a lifecycle reduction of 80%
• It also reduces pollution particles by 60%.