Assessment of Three Recycling Pathways for Waste Cooking Oil as Feedstock in the Production of Biodiesel, Biolubricant, and Biosurfactant: A Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis Approach

The management of waste cooking oil (WCO) often poses significant challenges. improper disposal WCO results in negative environmental impacts and economic losses. However, from a circular economy perspective, can be recycled used as sustainable feedstock for numerous industrial products, replacing virgin vegetable oils. This approach enables the recovery resources while simultaneously addressing problem disposal. By employing multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) approach, study assesses three alternative recycling pathways production (A1) biodiesel, (A2) biolubricant, (A3) biosurfactant. aim is to identify optimal alternative, taking into account environmental, economic, technical factors. procedure involved team chemical engineers working sector who were selected makers. ‘priority scale’ combined with Paired Comparison Technique was employed weighting method evaluate criteria. revealed that makers considered sustainability most crucial evaluation criterion, followed by criterion. In contrast, aspect process deemed less significant. Among compared alternatives, utilizing biosurfactant assessed solution. not only demonstrated lowest coefficient variation but also favourable option. Biolubricant determined second-best alternative. adopted MCDA proved reliable effective tool, enabling clear identification preferred among those assessed. achieved through utilization makers’ expertise knowledge.