Partnership fuels new oil recycling banks in south Norfolk

Five new recycling banks have been installed across south Norfolk to stop thousands of litres of cooking oil and other fats going unnecessarily down the drain.

South Norfolk Council has teamed up with Anglian Water and Living Fuels to bring in the bright orange banks, which can be found at Bullock Fair in Harleston, Kett's Park in Wymondham, the Co-op car park in Long Stratton, Weavers Court in Diss and at the Harford Bridge Tesco just outside Norwich.

People can dispose of their used vegetable and cooking oil, lard, roasting fats, barbecue fats, grill fats, margarine and butter at the banks. Once the cooking oil and other fats have cooled they can place them in a plastic bottle and put the whole bottle into the bank - there is no need to empty the contents of the bottles.

Residents can also recycle cooking oil at Norfolk County Council's household waste recycling centres.

Councillor Kay Mason-Billig, South Norfolk cabinet member for environment and recycling, said: 'You can't miss our bright new banks, which are bigger and easier to empty. So far we have prevented 8,200 litres of oil going down the sink. That's 7.55 tonnes of cooking oil that hasn't had to be cleaned out of the drains. We hope to collect and recycle even more through the new banks.'

The banks, provided by Anglian Water, are regularly emptied by Living Fuels who refine and recycle the oil at their site in Thetford. It is then used to generate carbon neutral electricity.