Chinese exports of UCO nearly treble

Exports of used cooking oil from China have nearly trebled in the first nine months of the year compared to the previous corresponding period, reaching 217,206 mt from January through September versus 75,434 mt in the previous nine months.

According to brokerage Greenea, which cited Chinese Customs data, exports to the Netherlands accounted for two thirds of the increase, rising to 217,206 mt from just 21,591 mt.

The figures mean that Europe takes more than half of all exports of used cooking oil.

The increase comes as countries use increasing amounts of cooking oil as transport fuel, buoyed by incentives that mean waste-based fuel receives double the incentive than crop based fuel.

Used cooking oil accounts for around 40% of biofuel used in the UK.