Smyrna wants your used cooking oil

As reported here at Patch last March, the is getting into the diesel production business, and now is the time to start saving that used cooking oil.

In an effort to increase its energy efficiency, the city received a Community Development Block Grant as part of the federal stimulus program. With the $208,000 grant, construction began on a new biodiesel processing center at the city’s facility. The hope is that it will be up and running by the end of next month.

But you can start helping now as residents are asked to donate used cooking oil – but not grease - in sealed containers at the located at 645 Smyrna Hill Drive.

The idea is to save money fueling the city’s nearly 70 diesel operating vehicles, while also doing some good for the environment. City Administrator Eric Taylor estimated that the new processing facility can save Smyrna in the area of $25,000 a year.

“What this will allow us to do is to begin collecting vegetable oil from our residents and businesses that we can then take to our public works facility and convert into diesel fuel,’’ Taylor said. “Certainly sustainability is an important aspect of what it is we do for the city as is reflective in our Keep Smyrna Beautiful efforts.’’

Recycling the vegetable oil will also help with the prevention of clogged sewers and storm drains. Restaurants will be encouraged to recycle their cooking fat, and in a story in Monday’s Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the city indicated it plans to collect from as many as 150 restaurants that fry food.

Ann Kirk, executive director of Keep Smyrna Beautiful, told the AJC that, “over the past few weeks the city has collected about 40 gallons of peanut oil from people who fried turkeys over the holidays.’’