Used cooking oil (UCO) from hotels and restaurants is a widespread waste stream. When poured into drains it damages sewer networks and water bodies; when collected, it is mostly reprocessed into fuel, which under the Waste Framework Directive does not count as recycling. The same kitchens buy large volumes of conventional, largely fossil-based cleaning products in single-use plastic.

This practice keeps the oil in a material loop at the point of generation. SapoCircle, developed by MONSAPO, is a fully automated, IoT-connected unit installed in the hotel. It converts the site's own UCO into professional detergents for laundry, kitchen and housekeeping through a patented process, combining waste prevention, material recycling, avoided transport and avoided packaging in one on-site step. Hotel staff need no specific chemical expertise to operate it.

Each cycle is monitored remotely: oil processed, products made and environmental indicators are recorded automatically, giving traceable data for sustainability reporting and compliance audits.

The practice was validated by a pilot project at La Badira, a 5-star hotel in Hammamet (Tunisia), launched in January 2026. 

The model is designed for replication across the European hospitality sector, which faces the same UCO and chemical procurement issues. A first site in Marseilles (France) is planned for 2027, subject to regulatory authorisation. The practice also illustrates EU-Mediterranean cooperation on the green transition, with operations in both Tunisia and France.