Midwest Renewable Biofuels, Inc13293 S 88th Ave W, Prairie City, Iowa, United States

 “To collect waste vegetable oil from our partners in the food service industry using state of the art systems and utilize it in the production of biodiesel, thus improving air quality and reducing the overall carbon footprint.”  Midwest Renewable Biofuels is an Iowa based used cooking oil collection service company that began as a family farm seeking to make our own fuel while providing a service to surrounding communities. What started as a single farm using waste vegetable oil to reduce our own carbon footprint, has grown into a recycling firm that partners with restaurants and food service establishments in all corners of the Midwest. While our business has changed, our commitment to clean, quality service with a personal touch remains. 

Traditionally, most people think of Biodiesel in Iowa to be made from soybean oil. But the cost of soybean oil is high as we use that product for food. Currently, soybean oil processing nearly demands government tax credits just to break even.  As a society, we produce left over oil from cooking, both vegetable and animal based. These products, collected and processed properly can create a better, cleaner burning fuel than that which we are currently using from petroleum based fuels. Biodiesel reduces exhaust emissions, carbon monoxide, soot, and smoke. As a fuel, it has increased lubricating properties and can be blended with diesel to increase the poor lubricating properties of the new ultra-low sulfur diesel. Let alone, it is renewable! In producing Biodiesel, we are gathering products that could potentially clog our sewers, plug our drains and expand our waste water treatment costs.  It seems a natural to me that we use waste products to produce better fuels! And we reduce our dependence on imported petroleum. What a Simple Solution!  Well, it is more complicated than that; collection, variable quality oils and refining properties make this environmental solution more difficult. But if we as a community do our part to gather our waste oils and not pour them down the drains or throw in the trash, we will enjoy a cleaner, greener Iowa.