Oil refiner Neste is set to collaborate with Finnish restaurant chain Hesburger to collect used cooking oil (UCO) from over 300 local Hesburger restaurants, for use in manufacturing renewable diesel. In addition, the restaurant chain will use Neste’s MY Renewable Diesel in its transport fleet in the country. This vehicle fleet to deploy Neste’s existing renewable diesel travels around 680,000 kilometers every year, and replacing the fossil fuel-based diesel with Neste’s cleaner iteration could enable emission reductions of up to 90% when compared to fossil fuel-based diesel.
“We reduce our emissions by investing in plant protein products and energy efficiency, and by planning our transports effectively,” said Heini Santos, Communications Manager at Hesburger. “Recycling and the circular economy have also been important focal points in the development of our activities, and this circular economy collaboration with Neste is a perfect match with our aims.”
“Every year, our restaurants in Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania produce up to 420 tons of used cooking oil which is collected and transported as ecologically as possible,” Santos adds. “Neste uses the cooking oil and other renewable waste and residue raw materials to produce renewable diesel to be used also in Hesburger’s trucks. As the used cooking oil is collected by trucks delivering goods to the restaurants, it will not result in extra mileage.”
In a survey conducted by the two collaborating companies, findings showed that 65% of Finnish consumers believed companies and consumers alike should share the responsibility for climate actions. Commenting on these findings, Heidi Peltonen, Team Lead for Sustainable Partnerships in Marketing & Services at Neste said that collaboration between companies was crucial to see tangible change in our climate targets.
“This circularity collaboration with Hesburger is a concrete example of how collaboration can improve sustainability,” she said. “At the same time, our climate action creates value for consumers visiting Hesburger restaurants, as the cooking oil used in making their french fries can be reused as a raw material for renewable diesel to reduce transportation emissions. In this way, we can provide consumers with an opportunity to make more responsible everyday purchasing decisions in Finland and in the Baltic region.”
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