CAPE ELEUTHERA, Eleuthera, The Bahamas – Representatives of Asa H. Pritchard, food suppliers in Nassau, visited the Cape Eleuthera Institute (CEI) and The Island School Tuesday to learn about biodiesel production. Asa H. Pritchard has been collecting used vegetable oil from their clients and sending it to CEI for processing which prevents it from going into landfills. In collaboration with Bahamas Waste, which is currently constructing a state of the art biodiesel facility, over 2,000 gallons of used vegetable oil has been sent to Eleuthera. 

The Island School has been processing bio-diesel for seven years and has made over 130,000 gallons of fuel from used vegetable oil on its campus. Most of the oil feedstock has come from Princess Cruises which lands at nearby Princess Cays in Bannerman Town, Eleuthera. Over the past year, almost every restaurant in Eleuthera has also started donating its oil to CEI for use in making biodiesel to operate research boats and vehicles that support the student experience at The Island School.

“We are thrilled to have the support of Asa H. Pritchard so that something positive can be done with a waste stream,” said Karla Cosgriff, managing director of CEI. “It makes perfect sense for a food supplier to be dropping off orders with clients and at the same time picking up waste oil. Not only does this arrangement make the supply chain extremely efficient, the benefits for the environment are numerous.”