Buffalo Biodiesel completes more than $2 million in upgrades to Tonawanda, New York, facility

Used cooking oil (UCO) recycling company Buffalo Biodiesel Inc. announced Feb. 19 that it has officially met all criteria and submitted its Part 360 application to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

As part of the Part 360 permitting process, which is required to operate a solid waste management facility, Buffalo Biodiesel originally budgeted $1 million in upgrades to its Tonawanda facility.

To date, implemented improvements have exceeded $2 million and are expected to approach $3 million.

Through the course of applying for the permit, Buffalo Biodiesel hired four engineers, two mechanical and two chemical, and all graduates of the University at Buffalo School of Engineering, with an expectation of hiring an additional six over the coming months in addition to outside consultants as a result of the Part 360 burden.

The announcement comes on the heels of the company’s announcement that it renewed its Part 364 waste-transporter permit from the state, allowing the company to transport UCO across New York state to be processed at its Tonawanda facility.

Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Buffalo, New York, Buffalo Biodiesel currently serves more than 28,000 restaurants across 15 states, operating one of the largest UCO-collection networks in the Northeast U.S.

The company is currently in the midst of a major expansion from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, down to Miami, Florida, across 25 U.S. states.