MNN - Mother Nature Network

The Anchorage area's private trash hauler, Alaska Waste, is picking up used food-frying oil and has started turning it into biodiesel to power its trucks.

 

The company showed off its new $3 million plant Thursday in south Anchorage where it turned out its first batch of biodiesel last week.

 

Alaska Waste is collecting oil from 240 restaurants, groceries, hotels and hospitals from Girdwood to Wasilla.

 

The Anchorage Daily News reports that previously most of the food grease from Anchorage had been dumped in landfills or barged to the Lower 48.

 

Alaska Waste built the plant to capitalize on a useful product, reduce air pollution and keep grease out of the landfill, said Jeff Riley, Alaska Waste's chief operating officer. In the future, the company might team up with local fuel distributors to enable Anchorage residents to purchase some of the biodiesel. It creates fewer greenhouse gas emissions than regular diesel, he said.

 

Alaska Waste began installing storage tanks at local commercial kitchens last year. The tanks store used fryer oil until the company's small tanker trucks arrive to pick it up.

 

"It's a win-win situation," said Greg Todd, the franchise owner for Dairy Queen Grill and Chill, which has five restaurants in the Anchorage area. It saves restaurant employees time and effort handling the waste.

 

Other suppliers include Fred Meyer, Safeway and New Sagaya grocery stores, McDonald's, Carl's Jr., Walmart, the Lucky Wishbone and the Peanut Farm.

 

Alaska Mill Feed & Garden Center collected used fryer oil from local restaurants and sent it to customers in the Lower 48 until last year when Alaska Waste took over the supply route.

 

Mark Goodman, a manager at Mill Feed, said he is pleased with how things worked out because the new plant uses the waste oil in Alaska.

 

Copyright 2010  AP News