JBS program transforms 50 million liters of used cooking oil into biodiesel
JBS's "Friendly Oil" program has collected 50 million liters of used cooking oil over the course of a decade. This volume, which was prevented from being improperly disposed of, was converted into biodiesel by Biopower, a JBS New Businesses company and one of the largest producers of this biofuel in the country. By preventing the waste from being dumped into the sewage system or the environment, the program contributed to the preservation of more than 1 trillion liters of water - the equivalent of 400,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
In 2025 alone, 11.3 million liters were collected, the largest annual volume ever recorded by the initiative. This result was driven by the expansion of operations to Campo Verde (MT), where, in the first year of operation alone, collection reached 2 million liters.
For Alexandre Pereira, commercial director of Biopower , giving concrete dimension to the numbers is essential to raise awareness. “Many people don't know, but just one liter of oil discarded down the sink can contaminate up to 25,000 liters of water. What we do with the program is interrupt this pollution cycle and transform the problem into an energy solution. For every liter collected, the impact is triple: it prevents water contamination, replaces fossil fuels, and encourages adherence to an environmentally correct attitude ,” explains the executive.
Although direct collection with its own fleet is currently concentrated in Lins (SP), Curitiba (PR) and Campo Verde (MT), the Óleo Amigo network reaches almost 115 municipalities in the states of São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Paraná, Mato Grosso and Santa Catarina, a reach that has been growing year after year.
Biopower is one of the five largest biodiesel producers in Brazil and a leader in the manufacture of biofuel from the processing of organic waste. Its annual production capacity across its three plants, located in Lins (SP), Campo Verde (MT), and Mafra (SC), exceeds 900 million liters. With deliveries to more than 22 states, the company has already produced over 4 billion liters of biodiesel, preventing the emission of approximately 9 million tons of CO₂, thus establishing itself as a benchmark in the circular economy and the defossilization of the Brazilian energy matrix.
In addition to the results of the Óleo Amigo program, the company acts as a guarantor of used cooking oil in the market, acquiring volumes from independent collectors and cooperatives throughout the country for biodiesel production. Since 2015, more than 430 million liters of this waste product have been purchased. This demand, structured for over 10 years by Biopower, makes cooperatives economically viable, generates income, and strengthens the supply chain by transforming waste into an input with market value.
Education that becomes a benefit
The oil collected through environmental education and awareness campaigns is not only transformed into fuel: it returns to the community in the form of improvements for the participating schools and institutions themselves. In total, nearly 700 institutions – including schools, companies, and public organizations – have already joined the program's initiatives, impacting more than 65,000 people.
“The ‘Friendly Oil’ program is also becoming established as a supplementary source of income for the program's partners and an ally for cities in managing basic sanitation. When oil is disposed of correctly, we prevent blockages and reduce the need for interventions and cleaning in sewage systems. This generates savings for the public sector, reduces environmental impacts, and strengthens a true virtuous circle in the municipalities where the program operates ,” adds Pereira.
The program is an integral part of JBS's circular economy strategy. Currently, the company utilizes approximately 99% of each processed bovine animal. What might previously be considered waste is transformed into leather, collagen, gelatin, and biodiesel for Biopower, closing a virtuous cycle of maximum utilization.
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