By Ann Johnson-Stromberg of The Times-Standard
Taking a page out of the backpacker's mantra, Footprint Recycling is treading lightly in our community. Starting out on
grants and a dream, Andrew Cooper, a 31-year-old Humboldt State University master's student, decided to set out in pursuit
of developing and selling biodiesel.
"It just fascinated me so much that you could make a fuel source for a diesel engine out of waste vegetable oil, I mean
anybody can make biodiesel -- you can make it in a blender," Cooper said. "But I wanted to know and experiment with how I
could make biodiesel for the community."
A recent recipient of the Humboldt County Waste Reduction Award, for effective use of recycled materials in manufacturing,
Cooper said Footprint Recycling isn't just about providing an alternative fuel. The company is committed to all aspects of
reducing and reusing, in fact 75 percent of the equipment used is salvaged tanks and other odds and ends from various
places that were modified.
The facts are clear: Biodiesel is safer for the environment than its petro diesel counterpart. Biodiesel is nontoxic, burns
cleaner, and is 100 percent biodegradable. Another big plus for biodiesel is that it can be used in any diesel vehicle with
no engine modifications and it can be mixed with conventional diesel with no ill-effects.
While many may be unaware of the benefits of biodiesel, Cooper and his partners have no problem selling his product.
"We make 2,500 gallons a month and we sell every drop," he said. "I would really like to see that double or even triple.
Our limiting factor is the available grease."
Cooper and his partners, Greg Bender and Chad Christensen-Woods, aren't getting rich at this though. After covering their
expenses to collect and produce the fuel, Cooper said at the end of the year the three partners split a current profit of
$30,000 to cover their labor. Not exactly enough to support three families, and without their HSU interns Doug Kelly, Todd
Frisbee, Christopher Cook and Michael Kroger Footprint would be lost, he said.
Still, Cooper has big plans for the future of his company and says every new business that chooses Footprint Recycling
translates into less vehicular pollution in Humboldt County, and more alternative fuel for its citizens.
Footprint Recycling collects from 80 vendors, representing about half of the area's available restaurants and businesses.
Among them are Six Rivers and Lost Coast breweries, St. Joseph Hospital, Humboldt State University, College of the Redwoods
and Mazzotti's.
You might ask yourself --What about the fried fat biggies such as McDonald's and Burger King restaurants? Well, Cooper
said, he would love to be their recycling man, but he currently can't match the prices of an out of area "renderer" who
currently services many of the remaining half available.
As a renderer, there are other services besides providing and draining oil tanks. Since animal fats solidify at room
temperature, that waste cannot run a diesel engine in a cold weather environment, but restaurants still need to get rid of
it. Depending on the amount of waste vegetable oil, the amount of additional waste needing to be hauled off and the
location of the vendor, all come into play when determining what the nominal fee for Footprint Recycling would be.
Footprint already takes rendered butcher scraps to another facility near Medford, Ore., so they are hoping to break into
out-of-area markets along that route, like Crescent City.
"If I can out-bid my competitor up there, and if they are willing to support us it would be great," Cooper said.
"The influx of oil into this shop would benefit us greatly, enough to warrant going there."
Ron Rudebock, HSU director of dining services, said that it is kind of an unspoken policy to support the university alumni
and said he's been happy to have Footprint recycle their oil. Humboldt State has been recycling its waste oils for more
than 20 years, but Rudebock said that he is glad to know it's now being used for biodiesel production.
"Andrew is doing a very good job, he upgraded our tanks and has worked diligently with us on educating staff and students
on what he is using the products for," Rudeback said. "That's what we are here for -- education, and it's nice to see him
successful."
Businesses aren't the only users of vegetable oil and Mark Loughmiller executive director of Arcata and Eureka Recycling
Centers is happy to offer the public a place to recycle theirs.
"The people who use the service, love the fact we take it," Loughmiller said. "It really was kind of an experiment for us
to accept from the public, I don't know how many people realize we collect it."
Loughmiller said he assumes not a lot of people use bunches of oil, but did notice that just after Thanksgiving there was a
boost in oil collection from deep frying turkeys. To insure that Footprint gets a clean supply, customers must give the oil
to an employee rather than dumping it themselves. A well-learned lesson was when someone dumped motor oil in the vegetable
oil container and the center had to clean it out.
Loughmiller said Footprint empties a 25 gallon drum once a month, but said he couldn't speak to whether it is full every
month.
"It's unfortunate that he can't produce more because I know the demand out there would support it," he said. " You have to
applaud him for what he is doing and hope he has enough activity to stay in business."
For more information about biodiesel or Footprint Recycling call (707) 826-2606.
