Münzer Brings Used Cooking Oil Collection to Detmold

What remains after cooking, frying, or deep-frying is far more than waste: starting immediately, residents of Detmold can dispose of their used cooking oil in a meaningful and sustainable way. Together with the City of Detmold, Münzer Deutschland GmbH has installed a total of 30 collection boxes across the city, creating a new, citizen-focused disposal option.

The launch of the collection program was accompanied by an information stand at the Detmold weekly market. There, Münzer — together with Anja Fricke, Head of the City of Detmold’s Waste Management Team — provided information on proper used cooking oil disposal and explained the benefits of the system for the environment, the climate, and municipal infrastructure.

Collect Easily – Recycle Sustainably

The Münzer box system is intentionally simple: used cooking oils — such as frying oil, deep-frying fat, or oil from antipasti and preserved-food jars — are poured at home into clean, tightly sealed plastic bottles (no glass) and deposited in one of the yellow collection boxes. Münzer collects the full boxes in a sensor-controlled, demand-based manner. The used cooking oil is then processed into high-quality biodiesel in certified facilities.

When collected and used correctly, this biofuel can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 93% compared to fossil diesel. At the same time, separate collection protects municipal sewer systems: improperly disposed fats often cause buildup, blockages, and increased cleaning and maintenance costs.

Detmold Invests in Practical Circular Economy

“Used cooking oil collection is a great example of how climate action can work in everyday life,” explains Anja Fricke, Head of Waste Management for the City of Detmold. “The system is easy to use, reduces strain on our infrastructure, and gives residents the opportunity to actively contribute to sustainable resource management.”

Münzer also sees Detmold as an important step in expanding its collection network. “Our goal is to turn everyday waste into valuable resources,” says Albert Bechtoldt, Head of Sales at Münzer Deutschland GmbH. “Municipalities like Detmold show that citizen-friendly solutions and a functioning circular economy go hand in hand.”

Detmold now joins a growing number of cities and communities already using Münzer’s collection system — including Haan, Lemgo, Düren, Bad Laasphe, and Erzhausen.