Campus Events and Media Releases

University of Maine at Farmington Dining Services Leads the Way in Recycling for Bio-fuel Production

FARMINGTON, ME (May 9, 2008)--University of Maine at Farmington Dining
Services has recently joined with Green Bean Bio-Fuel, a Vassalboro-based
biodiesel production company, to lead the way among ARAMARK services
nationwide in recycling waste cooking oil for bio-fuel production. Through
the efforts of Chris Kinney, director of the University's food services,
Green Bean Bio-Fuel will collect UMF's waste cooking oil to produce the
more environmentally friendly fuel that can be purchased by local
businesses and schools to help with their energy costs and assist in
reducing greenhouse gases.

Green Bean Bio-Fuel collects waste cooking oil from food facilities in
Maine and New Hampshire to produce a bio-fuel free of petroleum products.
The company's production currently averages about 6,000 gallons per week
with plans to increase next year to approximately 900,000 gallons annually.
Bio-fuel emissions don't pose a threat to the atmosphere, according to
Dylan Voorhees of the Natural Resources Council of Maine. Though not
100-percent carbon neutral, bio-fuels produce much less carbon emission per
gallon than regular diesel.

Both the University and its food services share a commitment to
environmental stewardship and to graduating responsible global citizens who
care about the environment. This new sustainable initiative is expected to
recycle more than 1,600 gallons of waste cooking oil and grease annually,
saving the cost of sending it to a regional facility for partial re-use.

"We are proud to be able to say that we are recycling 100-percent of our
waste cooking oil for bio-fuel," Kinney said, "and being 'green' is
contagious. I am hearing from the directors of other food service programs
who are interested in enhancing their own recycling efforts with similar
programs."

Prior to this environmentally responsible enterprise, UMF's Dining Services
has been a leader in food services regarding recycling, waste reduction and
the use of local foods. In 2007 the Maine Resource Recovery Association
named UMF Dining Services Composter of the Year for composting 35 tons of
food waste. That same year, UMF recycled 7.6 tons of cardboard; 1,870 cubic
feet of plastic; 5,985 cubic feet of metal; and 920 cubic feet of glass.

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For more information, contact Chris Kinney, director of UMF Dining Services
at 207-778-7360, or kinney-chris@aramark.com.

EDITOR'S NOTE: You will find photo at
http://www.umf.maine.edu/campus/docs/RP078-050.jpg

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Chris Kinney

Photo Caption: Bucky Leighton, UMF food production manager, pours waste
cooking oil into recycling receptacle recently delivered by Shane Cole from
Green Bean Bio-Fuel.