Tunisia aims to recover 80% of used cooking oil

Tunisia generates approximately 88,000 tons of used cooking oil annually, with about 40,000 tons currently collected from professional sources. The National Waste Management Agency (ANGed) has set an ambitious goal to raise the overall collection and recovery rate to 80%, a significant increase from the current 45%.

This challenge was a central theme at a workshop organized by ANGed dedicated to the valorization of used oils. Badreddine Lasmar, the agency's Director General, noted that around 10,000 tons of these oils are exported each year after primary treatment. While managing oil flows from large producers like restaurants and hotels is relatively straightforward, collection from households remains a major hurdle.

To address this, ANGed plans to increase the involvement of municipalities and deploy awareness programs to foster a culture of environmental citizenship. The workshop also served to finalize a future regulatory text that will strictly govern the management of this waste. Concurrently, the agency is actively supporting the creation of micro-enterprises focused on collection, valorization, and recycling, while also strengthening training sessions.

Private sector and civil society are already contributing technological and practical solutions. University professor and environmental activist Mounir Belzerga presented the 'Biodex' biofuel project, launched in 2009. Integrated into ANGed's 'Valo Zit' system, this initiative transforms environmental nuisance into economic opportunity. An associated mobile application allows citizens to report their stocks of used oils in exchange for loyalty points, before collection teams retrieve the waste in return for cleaning products.