AUSCOL Information

Auscol is a specialist in the environmentally responsible collection and recycling of used cooking oils and fats. It is part of the GrainCorp group. Our operations service all the states of Australia and our network has coverage of 97 per cent of the Australian population. Auscol, originally known as Bluhdorn, started over 40 years ago when it recognised an opportunity to collect and recycle the used cooking fats generated by the food industry. Today the used cooking oils and fats industry diverts almost 90,000 tonnes of waste from landfill and waterways per annum! In the early days there were many issues facing the industry. Hot oil was being carried around by kitchen staff in open pots which led to burns and manual handling injuries. Oil spilling out of the containers led to slips and falls. Equally as dangerous were the on-site storage units which normally consisted of open 44-gallon (205-litre) drums which weighed over 200kg. These drums were dangerous to transport and awkward to empty. Open drums also meant that the recycler had limited control over what would go into them, causing further complications when it came time to recycle the product. In 1993 Auscol introduced the bulk bin system. Bulk bins were manufactured from mild steel with heating elements in the bottom to warm the oil before collection. This meant that the dangerous task of lifting and transporting 44-gallon drums was removed. The vacuum tanker vehicle could simply drive up to the bin and empty its contents with no physical exertion. The steel bins were fitted with filters to keep out extraneous matter that could affect the quality of the recycled product. This bulk bin concept revolutionised the industry. In 1995 the company changed its name to Auscol™ when the Gardner Smith Group became involved and since that time has grown to become a national service. We lead the industry in terms of quality, volume, and level of innovation.