Domestic Fuel

Atlanta, Georgia is the latest city to set up a program to turn waste restaurant grease into biodiesel as part of the city’s “Atlanta Recycles” program… an effort with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to create the Southeast United State’s first waste-free zone.

This EPA press release explains the biofuel phase of the program is part of a larger composting plan:

Zero Waste Zones are designed to reduce the environmental impact of waste in homes, workplaces and in the community. Phase One of the Zero Waste Zone will focus on downtown Atlanta’s convention district and participating foodservice operations. More than 10 participants, including the Georgia World Congress Center, the Hyatt Regency and Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse have already pledged to recycle, reuse spent grease for the local production of biofuel and compost or donate food residuals to drastically decrease the amount of waste going to landfills.

No word on how much biodiesel could be produced, but for every gallon of grease you keep out of the sewers or landfills is one you can burn cleanly. Makes sense to me.