Restaurants rely on vegetable oil to produce some of their dining staples: French fries, spicy popcorn shrimp and tortilla strips, to name three.
But this most essential ingredient in the restaurant business is also important to another business: the biodiesel industry.
Biodiesel acts like regular diesel fuel but with fewer environmental consequences. Biodiesel not only reduces air pollution but also reduces greenhouse gases that cause global warming, proponents say. According to a news release from the Puget Sound Clean Cities Coalition, biodiesel produces 78 percent less carbon-dioxide than regular diesel fuel.
Recycled restaurant greases and oils can be used to produce the alternative fuel.
Jeff Rettig, general manager at The Rock in Lynnwood, donates his restaurant’s old greases and oils for biodiesel production.
“We think its a great idea to recycle the oil into a new renewable fuel rather than send it somewhere where we don’t know what they’re doing with it,” Rettig said.
He said normally, restaurants have to pay to have the leftover substances taken away.
“It just seems the more right thing to do to turn it into a renewable energy form,” Rettig said. “With all the world politics and all the issues with oil, why not?”
Rettig said the Biofuel Association, the company that takes The Rock’s oils, comes twice a month and collects approximately 60 gallons a month from Rettig.
He also encouraged other restaurants to donate their leftover oils and greases to help improve the biofuel industry.
“To get the oil industry to look at another way to produce oil in our country … I just know in my heart it’s worth a try and see what happens,” Rettig said.
Mill Creek resident Matt Moreno does his part to contribute to the biodiesel industry.
Moreno owns Turbofroggy Biodiesel, a non-profit co-op, where he sells biodiesel purchased from commercial sources.
He said he has been using biodiesel since January 2002 and started selling it in March 2002.
“Biodiesel is made out of any kind of vegetable oil or any animal grease or fats,” Moreno said.
Moreno said so far many members of the community have shown interest in using biodiesel.
“It has been great,” Moreno said of the response to Turbofroggy. “I’ve had zero issues and I’ve even had some repeat customers.
Biodiesel generally costs more per gallon than regular diesel, but as the biodiesel industry and technology expands prices are expected to decrease. Moreno said Turbofroggy biodiesel sells for $3.40 per gallon while other commercial stories such as Chevron in Bellevue sell their biodiesel at $4.25 per gallon.
“It’s not available all over,” Moreno said. “Seattle, Bellingham and the islands … there’s only one other place on the Eastside. So that’s one of the main reasons (for becoming involved with biodiesel), to make it available.”
Moreno said the money he earns from selling biodiesel is used to buy more biodiesel to sell. He also said he tries to keep his prices low by having no markup like other commercial retailers.
He also said some customers feel so strongly about using biodiesel, they have sold their gasoline powered cars in favor of diesel cars.
Moreno said biodiesel should be considered as an alternative fuel source because it is produced completely within the United States.
“Biodiesel is an alternative fuel that you can run today that is 100 percent made in the US,” Moreno said. “There are so many benefits, the only drawback is the cost.”
He also said many in the United States don’t know where their fuel comes from.
“I think that mentality is crazy,” Moreno said. “People have to think about where their fuel comes from. Even if you have to pay a little more to know that people aren’t dying for your fuel, that’s important to me.”
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