Étranger Things: Vegetable oil disposal in France — the no-drama guide (Aix edition)

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Who this is for & what you’ll get

If you cook (or just fell in love with a deep fryer 🥖🍟) and now have a bottle of post-fritter regret, this is for you. Quick, local answers for Aix-en-Provence: exactly where oil goes, where it doesn’t, and a couple of easy scripts in French so you sound très civilisé.

The 10-second answer

  • No, don’t put liquid oil in compost boxes (shared or park bins). Cooking oils disrupt compost and attract pests. Use dedicated drop-off instead. (agglo-larochelle.fr)

  • No, not in the yellow “metal/packaging” bin. That bin is for empty packaging (cans, bottles, trays)—not liquids. Empty oil bottles? Yes (well-emptied). Liquid oil? Non. (Limoges Métropole : Site Internet)

  • Do this instead: pour cooled oil into a sealed container and take it to a déchèterie (household waste center). ADEME’s guidance for households is clear. (Que Faire de mes Déchets)

Where to take it in Aix

  • Déchèterie d’Aix-en-Provence – La Parade (Chemin du Château). They accept huiles de friture from residents (up to ~20 L/week). Bring it in a closed container; access is free for households. (dechets.ampmetropole.fr)

  • Tip: keep a “used-oil” bottle under the sink. When full, take it on your next run to the déchèterie.

Why not the brown “bio-waste” bin?
Because used cooking oil (HAU) isn’t handled with regular food scraps; it’s collected in special reservoirs and processed separately (often into biodiesel). (Territorial Ministry)

What about compost boxes in parks or your building?

Liquid oils slow decomposition and create odors (and raccoon-adjacent drama). Many municipal guides explicitly list “huiles de cuisine : à ne pas mettre.” (agglo-larochelle.fr)

“Metal/food” (yellow) bins—what actually belongs there?

Think empty packaging only: cans, tins, trays, and emptied plastic bottles (including oil bottles once drained). Not loose liquids. Local and national guides say “emballages bien vidés” for the yellow stream. (Le SIOM de la Vallée de Chevreuse)

If you can’t reach a déchèterie right away

Some cities (e.g., Paris) allow household trash as a last resort if the oil is sealed in a leak-proof container. Check your commune’s rulebook; best practice remains the déchèterie. (Paris)

How much does this cost?

For residents, déchèteries are free for household quantities (Aix-Marseille-Provence). (marseille.fr)

FAQ (People Also Ask)

Can I pour small amounts down the sink with hot water?
No—oils congeal, block pipes, and disrupt treatment plants. Always collect and drop off. (Communauté Agglomération CTLF)

Do supermarkets take used oil?
Some regions run specific collection schemes or “La Baraque à Huile” style drop-offs—always check your mairie or AMP pages. ADEME notes no single national scheme for households, so local options vary. (Que Faire de mes Déchets)

Is olive-oil brine from a jar the same?
Treat the oil like used cooking oil (collect & drop). Recycle the glass at the glass bank (no caps). See your local sorting guide. (Communauté Pays Basque)

Can a little greasy paper go with bio-waste?
Rules vary, but liquid oil is out. Some areas accept lightly greasy paper towels with bio-waste; when in doubt, residual waste. Follow your local consignes. (Limoges Métropole : Site Internet)

Handy French you can use (A1→C1)

  • A1: Où puis-je déposer de l’huile de friture usagée, s’il vous plaît ?

  • A2: Est-ce accepté à la déchèterie de La Parade ?

  • B1: J’ai environ deux litres d’huile, proprement conditionnés. Y a-t-il une limite par semaine ?

  • B2: Je préfère la filière de valorisation. Savez-vous si elle est transformée en biocarburant ?

  • C1: Je souhaite respecter les consignes locales : pourriez-vous m’indiquer la filière dédiée aux HAU et ses horaires d’accès ?

Internal links you might like

Your turn (on papote à Aix)

How does your building handle oil? Drop a comment with: (A1) your one-line French script, (A2) your nearest drop-off, (B1) any hours/limits you’ve seen, (B2) a polite email template to your syndic, (C1) a mini-guide for neighbors (FR/EN). Let’s save a few pipes—and a lot of side-eye from the plombier.

Sources you can trust: National guidance (ADEME—take to déchèterie; no national household scheme), ministry note on HAU collected in dedicated reservoirs, Aix-en-Provence/AMP déchèterie acceptance & limits, and Paris’s fallback rule for sealed containers in household waste. (Que Faire de mes Déchets)

Location: Aix-en-Provence, France