Green chemicals from used cooking oils: Trends, challenges, and opportunities

• Published in: Current opinion in green and sustainable chemistry 2020-12, Vol.26, p.100369-100369, Article 100369
• Main Authors: Orjuela, Alvaro, Clark, James
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Review
• ISSN: 2452-2236; 2452-2236
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cogsc.2020.100369

Food waste reduction is fundamental for sustainable development and pursuing this goal, recycling and the valorization of used cooking oil (UCO) can play a major contribution. Although it has been traditionally used for biofuel production, the oleochemical potential of UCOs is vast. UCOs can be used as feedstock for a large variety of value-added green chemicals including plasticizers, binders, epoxides, surfactants, lubricants, polymers, biomaterials, and different building blocks. Thus, UCO transformation into functional chemicals can bring long-term stability to the supply chain, avoiding the current dependence on commodity products. In this regard, this work describes some of the potential benefits of using UCOs as feedstock in oleochemical biorefineries. In addition, some of the most recent investigations on the valorization of UCOs other than biofuel are presented. Finally, major challenges and future directions are discussed. •World production of used cooking oils (UCOs) and current market data.•Identification of life cycle impact reduction by exploitation of UCOs.•Review of current state of art on UCO valorization into green chemicals.•Major challenges on UCOs utilization as oleochemical feedstock.