Japan Expands Used Cooking Oil Collection for Sustainable Aviation Fuel

Japan estimates it will need about 1.7 million kiloliters of sustainable aviation fuel in 2030. Officials are seeking to obtain as much of that volume as possible from domestic sources, including used cooking oil. A homemaker in Tokyo pours used cooking oil into a plastic bottle after preparing deep-fried aubergines. She donates roughly 40 liters per year to the Fry to Fly collection program.

Her contribution is aggregated at a nearby supermarket that participates in the project. Roughly 300 collection points across Japan take part in the effort. A worker collects used cooking oil from a Tokyo restaurant for conversion into sustainable aviation fuel.

The program operates amid higher energy costs linked to the Iran war. "It would take a tremendous amount to make an aircraft fly, so I hope we can collect more," the homemaker said.