By Whitney Bain

Over the course of Spring Break 2020, in partnership with Sodexo and the Champlain
Facilities Team, the two dining options on campus, EATS and IDX, is moving towards a more
sustainable and efficient way of managing their cooking oil. The new Total Oil Management
system from Restaurant Technologies makes dealing with new and used cooking oil easier, safer,
and cleaner – in more ways than one.

From a sustainability perspective, Total Oil Management benefits the customers and the
planet. It eliminates the need for individual plastic oil containers (that come in a cardboard box
too), which means diverting over 500 containers and boxes from EATS and IDX each semester.
The system also has a tank that stores used oil, and when the tank is full, the oil is taken to a
facility and recycled into biodiesel. Total Oil Management is also automated, meaning it tracks
daily usage to ensure there is no overuse or wastage. Not only does this mean less waste, it
means consistent quality food.

The automated features also include knowing when the waste container is full and when
the fresh oil needs to be refilled. This gives the workers one less thing to worry about. Total Oil
Management additionally makes the transportation and disposal of oil much safer for workers.
Oil can be added, filtered, and disposed of with the push of a button, which means no more
worries about oil spills or burns. A lack of spills will also make the workspace much cleaner in
general, and less prone to accidents or vermin.

The closed-loop system of Total Oil Management revolutionizes dealing with cooking oil
in the restaurant industry. Not only is it less dangerous and more hygienic, but it’s also
environmentally friendly to boot. Champlain College is making a huge step towards clean, safe,
and sustainable practices in the dining facilities on campus thanks to Total Oil Management.