FSSAI has issued guidelines for the collection of the used cooking oil by biodiesel manufacturers from FBOs (food business operators) through authorised collection agencies.

According to the guidelines, the biodiesel manufacturers will be responsible to ensure that the used cooking oil collected by the agencies authorised by them does not go back into the food value chain and is used for the manufacture of biodiesel only, while the country’s apex food regulator will maintain a directory of all such collection agencies.

A collection agency can enrol with more than one biodiesel manufacturer.

The guidelines stated that such biodiesel manufacturers registered with the state in accordance to the notification issued by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas regarding the blending of biodiesel with high-speed diesel were eligible for the collection of the used cooking oil from FBOs.

However, in case a mechanism for the registration of biodiesel manufacturer is not available in the state, such manufacturers can register with the FSSAI for the collection of used cooking oil.

They will have to submit some documents to the FSSAI’s regulatory compliance division,  including the licence issued by the Department of Industries and Commerce or the district industry centre, the annual returns for the previous year and an affidavit stating that the company is using used cooking oil for the manufacture of biodiesel.

This provisional mechanism shall be valid till a registration mechanism is developed in the state as per the direction of the Ministry of Petroleum.

The guidelines added, “Quarterly returns shall be submitted by the biodiesel manufacturers to FSSAI’s regulatory compliance division to keep a record and monitor the progress like the quantity of the collected used oil, the date and the details of the FBOs.”

These guidelines were issued in reference to the notification issued by the FSSAI on January 30, 2019, having directions for the FBOs whose consumption of edible oils for frying was over 50 litre per day, wherin they have to maintain the records of the same.

Also an expert committee was made by the regulator to devise a mechanism for the enrolment of the biodiesel manufacturers, and based on the discussions with the stakeholders like state bio-fuel boards and others, the guidelines were made.