Using biofuels based on animal fats can lead to environmental problems

46% of animal fat in Europe is used as biofuel. Airlines are also switching to biofuels made from pork fat to reduce carbon emissions. But biofuels are also not completely environmentally friendly, scientists from the Cerulogy association found in their study for the Transport and Environment group, which promotes environmentally friendly modes of transport. The scientists' report indicates that to meet the needs of aviation, such a number of pigs will be needed that the livestock industry will not be able to cope.

The use of animal fats in biodiesel has increased 40-fold since 2006, the scientists noted. By 2030, demand could triple more than in 2021. Rendered pork fat is used in the production of sustainable aviation fuel, and the EU has already required airlines to increase their use of sustainable fuel to 5% by 2030 and 65% by 2050.

However, pork fat, although a renewable resource, is actually limited. For example, in order to fuel one plane with biofuel for a flight from Paris to New York, you need the fat of 8.8 thousand pigs. Scientists point out that such volumes of slaughter are simply impossible. At the same time, the growing demand for pork fat from aviation means that other industries, from food to cosmetics, will no longer have enough of it. To compensate for this shortage, producers will switch to other cheap fat - and this will lead to a rapid increase in demand for palm oil .

To meet demand, farmers will begin to plant palm trees in large quantities, the scientists concluded. To do this, they will begin to cut down forests, and this will increase carbon emissions, which the aviation industry is trying to reduce by switching to sustainable fuels.