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United Biscuits (UB) is running its 30-truck fleet and that of West Transport, its largest subcontractor, on a B10 biodiesel blend made from UB's waste cooking oil.

In all, 160 trucks are taking part in the scheme, which went live during February.

The Ashby, Leics-based snack firm has already reduced CO2 emissions from its distribution operations by 22.5% or 7,000 tonnes per year - well ahead of its stated target of  a 22% reduction by 2012.

Rob Wright, UB's national logistics controller, says: "We have been trialling vehicles fuelled with different bio blends for several months with the objective to re-use the 700 tonnes of waste vegetable oil generated in the company's manufacturing process.

"This 700 tonnes of waste oil will now be refined into 6.5 million litres of 10% biodiesel, which will fuel the 160 trucks."

This step alone will result in a CO2 reduction of 1,400 tonnes per year - the equivalent of taking one million truck miles off the road.

Martin Major, MD of Ilkeston haulier West Transport, says that the firm has looked at ways of reducing its environmental impact for some time and had previously trialled LNG-powered vehicles, but says "these didn't work in the long term".

He adds: "Using waste oil is far better for the environment than using biodiesel derived from new crops, so this is an excellent idea."

UB has cut its annual logistics mileage  by three million miles since 2005 through a number of initiatives, including better network design and vehicle utilisation.

In addition, it has a transport-sharing initiative with competitor Nestlé, which sees UB's fleet moving Nestlé products from its sites, including York and Halifax, to its NDC in Leicestershire. This is saving both companies 175,000 road miles annually.

Driver training is another area that the company has pursued, putting all its drivers through Safed schemes, which have cut fuel consumption by 7% and CO2 emissions by 190 tonnes per year.