Used Cooking Oil (UCO) is a valuable, recyclable commodity used in the production of renewable diesel, biodiesel, animal feed, and other industrial products. Usually, restaurants work with reliable service companies to gather and recycle their used cooking oil (UCO), which is often kept in big containers outside, close to dumpsters or parking lots. Depending on market conditions and service agreements, restaurants may receive a rebate for the collected oil.

The theft of UCO results in significant financial losses to both restaurants and authorized service providers, while also undermining legitimate recycling and sustainability efforts.

On October 24, 2025, the North American Renderers Association (NARA) released an updated estimate valuing annual UCO theft in the United States at $300 million to $500 million. Industry data further suggests theft rates of 15–25 percent, indicating that the total economic impact could approach $1 billion annually.

According to NARA President and CEO Kent Swisher, the updated estimate highlights the urgent need for enhanced security measures, collaboration with law enforcement, and increased awareness across the rendering, renewable fuel, and biodiesel industries. UCO theft not only results in substantial economic losses but also diverts valuable resources from legitimate recycling channels, undermining broader sustainability initiatives.

Used cooking oil theft is not accidental or opportunistic—it is deliberate, organized, and often sophisticated. Used cooking oil theft is carried out by a range of offenders. Offenders include unethical service providers who intentionally target competitor locations. These actors establish nearby accounts and, while servicing their own customers, knowingly steal oil from containers assigned to legitimate providers, diverting valuable material and revenue.

Investigations have revealed that UCO theft is frequently tied to broader criminal enterprises, including cases where proceeds have been traced to offshore accounts and international networks. This is not a victimless crime—it results in substantial financial losses, disrupts lawful recycling operations, and undermines sustainability efforts.

Grease Cop treats UCO theft as the serious crime it is. We actively monitor activity, support investigations, and work with law enforcement and industry partners to identify offenders, document theft, and protect our customers’ assets.

Stolen used cooking oil does not disappear—it enters an illegal secondary market. Thieves must sell the oil, creating a black market for UCO that depends on willing buyers. In many cases, brokers or middlemen knowingly facilitate these transactions, enabling the movement and resale of stolen product.

To conceal the origin of stolen UCO, false or fraudulent documentation is often created in an attempt to legitimize the material. This deliberate misrepresentation compounds the criminal activity and exposes all parties involved to serious legal consequences.

Stolen UCO is frequently transported across state lines from the point of theft to the final renderer or refinery. Once interstate commerce is involved, these crimes may qualify for federal prosecution. Buyers who participate—knowingly or through willful blindness—assume significant legal risk and liability.

Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs). RINs are credits used for compliance with the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program, which is administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA mandates that certain “obligated parties” (gasoline and diesel refiners and importers) must use a minimum volume of renewable fuel each year. Companies involved in the production of gasoline and diesel fuel often find themselves purchasing UCO through brokers who claim that the traceability (UCO origin) of the purchased UCO is legitimate. Many of these companies fail to complete any sort of due diligence or act in “willful blindness” in order to meet their production levels. This results in millions of dollars in tax money being used to credit a stolen product. If caught these companies face prosecution, multi-million dollar fines, the loss of future credits and irreparable damage to their company reputation.

Grease Cop works to protect supply chain integrity by identifying theft, documenting illegal activity, and supporting enforcement efforts that hold all parties—thieves, brokers, and buyers—accountable.