Quality & testing
Filtered UCO vs pretreated UCO: questions for suppliers
Specify what filtration and pretreatment mean in a UCO offer and request analytical evidence of the material actually delivered.
Direct answer
Filtered and pretreated UCO are process descriptions, not universal quality grades. Ask what operations were performed and request representative before-and-after or final-lot analysis. Do not assume that filtering establishes acidity, water content or suitability for a fuel plant.
Make the treatment description specific
An offer should describe the operation actually performed, the location and the lot treated. “Pretreated” can mean different things between suppliers. Request a process description that is clear enough for the receiving plant to assess without revealing proprietary plant details.
Keep the offered final material separate from the incoming collected oil. If the supplier blends or transfers the material after treatment, confirm which lot the final analysis represents.
Measure the delivered outcome
Use agreed analytical methods for acidity, moisture and insoluble impurities rather than inferring quality from a filtration claim. The relevant ISO method scopes help identify what was measured, but the receiving plant sets the accepted specification.
Do not accept a single general “purity” percentage in place of the parameter-by-parameter analysis the buyer needs. Ask which required values are missing and whether a representative additional sample can be tested.
Account for treatment in an offer comparison
Clarify whether the quoted quantity is incoming material or saleable material after processing. Allocate handling and treatment costs and identify any further preparation the buyer expects. A cheaper untreated lot and a processed lot cannot be compared fairly without these assumptions.
- Operations and treatment location described
- Final lot identified
- Relevant analytical results supplied
- Quantity basis clarified
- Receiving plant confirms suitability
Buyer questions
Does filtering automatically lower FFA?
A filtration statement alone establishes no acidity result. Use a lot-specific analysis on the agreed reporting basis.
Does pretreated mean SAF-ready?
No. The producer must assess feedstock specifications, conversion pathway and the evidence required for the intended fuel.
Sources and evidence
Primary references support the stated technical definitions. Procurement checklists are editorial guidance, not evidence of a specific lot, shipment or certification.
- ISO 662:2016 — Moisture and volatile matter ↗
- ISO 663:2017 — Insoluble impurities ↗
- ISO 660:2020 — Acid value and acidity ↗
Confirm laboratory methods, commercial terms and applicable requirements with the buyer and qualified advisers before contracting. No guide establishes stock availability or company certification.
Continue your assessment
UCO quality: FFA, moisture, impurities and MIV
Read UCO quality parameters correctly: free fatty acids, moisture, insoluble impurities, MIV, methods and contractual acceptance.
Used cooking oil sampling: a buyer’s checklist
Plan representative UCO sampling with lot identification, sealed retained samples, laboratory instructions and an agreed acceptance point.
UCO, UCOME, HVO and SAF: what is the difference?
Distinguish used cooking oil feedstock from biodiesel, renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel when preparing a procurement file.
Discuss a documented UCO requirement
Send the quantity, loading and destination places, intended use, quality limits and required documents. Our trading desk can assess the file.
Discuss a documented UCO requirement →