Grow Your Own Magazine

Can i pick your brains. Can anyone tell me if vegetable oil from the chip pan would break down on the compost heap ?
kenco

My husband uses it to make fuel for his car ("sort of" biodiesel - google waste vegetable oil and you'll see what I mean) and recycles it that way. I would have thought it would be very slow to break down in the compost heap and might very possibly be a fire hazard or attract vermin. To get it into a useable state, my husband has to filter it, heat it so that the water sinks to the bottom and then put it in a centrifuge, so that gives you an idea what sort of punishment it will take and still stay "oily"! Commercial kitchens have to pay to have their waste veg oil taken away and that's probably why!
Sorry I can't be more help...

Hi ChocClare
That is a help, sounds like i am not going to get a source of compost from my old oil but if petrol keeps going up like it is I think there may be a run on cooking oil.
Kenco

Well, I seem to remember reading on the web somewhere that you can make a lamp by taking an empty tuna can (or similar sized can) cutting strips of cardboard about 1" wide, and rolling them so they fill the can, covering it in (strained) vegetable oil, pulling out the centremost tip of the cardboard and setting light to it. So, if electricity prices keep going up, perhaps we can all light our homes this way - bung a few mirrors round the tin to reflect the light and you'll be laughing...

Can anyone tell me if vegetable oil from the chip pan would break down on the compost heap ? KENCO

I'd imagine the smell would attract every rat and fox within about 20 miles!

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~ What do I think of Western civilisation? I think it would be a very good idea ~ Gandhi

Veg Oil will ony work in Deisel cars...

I would mix the oil with breadcrumbs and nuts and leave it out for the birds.

But I like the lamp Idea..cos I heat one of my green housese on old candles...may try that.

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My phone has more Processing power than the Computers NASA used to fake the Moon Landings

Gee my house is full of seed trays on every window and could end up smelling like a chip pan if I cant pay the electric bill ????LOL

is that from lighting up my house with chocclares oil lamps?? I think the wife is going to make me give up gardening and take up fishing !!!
Kenco

Yes i think i will give that idea a miss as My greenhouse is a polytunnel which knowing my luck the oil would burn so well it would burn the polytunnel to the ground and my plants would freeze to death !!!
Kenco

ChocClare do you have anymore good I deas for my cooking oil I did like the others more than putting it on the the compost and certainly dont want to attract foxes and rats as my chickens would be most upset. Maybee i could light up the chicken run, hmmm maybee not , what with the smell of cooking oil and chickens trying to sleep the neighbours will think i am bbq ing my chucks
Kenco

Surely if you have chickens kenco, a bit of cooking oil mixed in with there food will do them nothing but good?

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My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

Hi Snadger,
hmmmmmmmm never heard of anyone doing that before,I am always open to advice though
kenco