Table of Contents
Why the “Best Deal” Starts with Safe Storage
Florida regulators require restaurants to keep oil in sealed, labeled containers to avoid fines that can top $10,000 per incident. Miami Dade’s 2025 FOG ordinance even forces property sellers to disclose grease equipment during a sale, a sign that compliance follows the real estate, not just the tenant. In coastal cities, one alley spill can reach storm drains in minutes, as Laguna Beach learned when grease clogged sewers cost the city $60,000 and weeks of bad press. Grease Connections installs lock tight outdoor tanks that meet the county manual’s spill containment spec, so your alley stays dry and inspectors stay happy.
How Much Should You Be Paid for Used Cooking Oil in 2025?
Used oil rebates rise and fall with commodity markets. USDA shows crude soybean oil hovering near 54 ¢/lb this week, a 25% jump over 2024, which lifts yellow grease values. Restaurants now earn $0.10 to $0.50 per gallon depending on volume, purity, and location. Grease Connections publishes live dashboards so kitchens see today’s rate with no haggling, no phone tag.
| State | Typical 2025 Rebate* | Pickup Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | $0.12 to $0.48/gal | Weekly to bi weekly |
| Georgia | $0.11 to $0.45/gal | 7 to 14 days |
| New Jersey | $0.10 to $0.42/gal‡ | Monthly |
Fees That Kill Your Savings and How to Spot Them
Many collectors advertise “free pickup” yet quietly add $35/month container rental charges when volumes dip. Others tack on “fuel” or “environmental” surcharges that inflate bills by as much as 35%. Grease Connections contracts ban line item fees: what you see is what you pay. Compare the fine print:
| Fee Type | Some Providers | Grease Connections |
|---|---|---|
| Container rental | Up to $35/mo | $0 |
| Fuel/env. surcharge | 5 to 35% | $0 |
| Spill cleanup | Hourly | $0 (preventive tech) |
| Contract exit | 12 month auto renew | 30 day notice |
What Clean Collection Looks Like: Zero Drip Alley Standard
San Francisco spends millions unclogging grease blocked sewers each year, and the EPA still cites 100 mg/L as a critical limit for oil discharge. A single drip trail invites fines and theft; Yahoo News reports multiple Florida restaurants hit by organized grease thieves this spring. Grease Connections solves both risks with tamper proof valves and 24/7 camera backed pickups, proven to cut theft losses like Buffalo Biodiesel’s $20 million hit last year. Our goal is simple: inspectors see concrete, not puddles.
Compliance Snapshots: FL | GA | NJ
- Florida. Restaurants must use licensed carriers and keep removal manifests on site; failure can trigger five figure DEP penalties.
- Georgia. State law allows 90 day grease pumping, but Atlanta imposes a strict 14 day rule. Miss it and expect citations.
- New Jersey. DEP treats used oil as a Class D recyclable; generators must store it in closed, labeled tanks and keep records for three years.
Grease Connections tracks every pickup in real time and emails the manifest, so your audit folder updates itself, perfect for county spot checks.
The Grease Connections Value Guarantee
Competitors like Restaurant Technologies tout up to $13k annual savings from automated oil systems but often require proprietary indoor plumbing retrofits. Grease Connections delivers comparable safety with outdoor smart tanks that install free in under an hour, and our rebate share lets you earn from day one. Grand Natural and other national brands cover 41 depots yet still apply trip distance fees in rural ZIPs. We built hubs near Miami, Atlanta, and Newark to keep travel under 60 miles, so fuel surcharges stay at zero. If we miss a scheduled pickup, we pay the spill fine with no questions asked. No other collector posts that pledge publicly.
Get a Quote in 90 Seconds
Enter your fry oil volume and ZIP; the calculator shows today’s rebate and next available route. Confirm, and our crew swaps in a lockable tank within 48 hours. Restaurants in Brickell can jump straight to our Miami services; Jersey City owners tap our New Jersey for local compliance tips. Need corporate rollout across all three states? Call us at Grease Connections and see how easy clean alleys can be.
