Editor

jevans@pickenssentinel.com

PICKENS COUNTY - The smell of French Fries drifting from a county truck isn't part of a county employee's lunch - it's the smell of success.

Pickens County has begun converting used vegetable oil into a biodiesel mixture and using that to fuel one of its many trucks.

County Administrator J. Chappell Hurst said he hopes the program grows even more successful.

During last week's County Council meeting, Hurst held up a jar full of what looked liked sweet tea.

"This is vegetable oil that was run through a process and turned into biodiesel fuel," he said.

The recycling program might provide a partial solution to some of the county's recent air quality issues, Hurst said.

"(We tried) to put together that was both meaningful for the EPA and meaningful for the taxpayers of Pickens County," Hurst said. "When I say meaningful, I'm talking saving more than half a million dollars in diesel costs."

One county truck is currently being run with the recycled vegetable oil biodiesel, Hurst said.

Officials are undertaking gas mileage tests and exhaust particulate tests prior to using the biodiesel in the truck, Hurst said.

"We're going to measure after the fact (as well)," he said. "Biodiesel produces about 60 percent cleaner emissions than does regular diesel fuel. It also gives you longer engine life. There are other benefits to it (as well)."

Should the county use biodiesel in all its vehicles, it could result in an annual savings of $750,000, Hurst said.

"I think it's something we need to look at, particularly as diesel fuel continues to go up above $4 a gallon," he said. "It's something that will offer us an opportunity to do something meaningful for the environment plus save us hundreds of thousands of dollars."

The program could be a money-maker, not just a money-saver, Hurst said.

"We're already in the recycling business," he said. "We've already contacted several folks who produce vegetable oil in large quantities. It would be very simple to collect it and basically burn it in our vehicles."

County officials hope to receive DHEC funds to help with converting the county's vehicles to biodiesel.

"As far as I know, we'd be the first ones in the state to have done such a thing," he said.

In other recycling news, Hurst reported that the county has secured grants from DHEC to procure billboards to promote positive messages about recycling around the area.

"We were very fortunate to get these monies," he said. "Grants are kind of scarce right now."