[HoosierRon]

San Fransisco Starts The Nation's First Citywide Program That Collects Waste Grease to Create Biofuel for Municipal Fleet

SFGreasecycle is a program that was developed by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) as a sustainable alternative to combat sewer blockages caused in part by excess cooking oils and fats discharged down drains from restaurants and homes. Each year, the SFPUC estimates that 50% of sewer emergency calls are related to backups caused by grease blockages costing their ratepayers $3.5 million a year in repairs.

"We’re taking a serious City problem and using the best available technology to save our ratepayers’ money and do something good for the environment," said SFPUC General Manager Susan Leal. "For every 5 gallons of grease we collect and keep out of our sewers, we displace 5 gallons of petroleum diesel. That is a net 100 pound reduction in carbon emission."
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Recycled FOG from San Francisco restaurants is estimated to generate 1.5 million gallons of biofuel each year. 59 restaurants have already signed up for the SFGreasecycle program before its launch with more expressing interest every day.
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Mayor Newsom and the SFPUC also announced that this Thanksgiving, residents can drop-off their holiday waste cooking oil for conversion to biodiesel for the City fleet at Costco, located at 450 10th Street. The Costco drop-off location will be open from November 23-26 during their normal operating hours of Friday, 9-8:30pm; Saturday, 9:30-7:00pm; Sunday, 10-6pm; and Monday, 11-8:30pm.

For more information or to sign up for the SFPUC’s free restaurant waste oil collection service, please call (415) 695-7366 or visit sfgreasecycle.org.