A type of biodiesel extracted from cooking oil waste is being tested in buses that operate on the Bus Rapid Transit line on Imam Ali (PBUH) Highway, which connects northern Tehran to the southern parts of the metropolis.
The head of the environment working group of the Biotechnology Development Headquarters at the Presidential Office for Science and Technology said that replacing fossil fuels with biofuel is a priority of the workgroup.
“We’re committed to developing and promoting efficient biofuel and have devised a variety of ways to do so, one of which is fuel derived from cooking oil waste,” IRNA quoted Ali Mohammad Latifi as saying.
To implement the plan, the unwanted oil was collected from restaurants and fast food stores across the capital and biodiesel was extracted from it.
“Following a deal with the Tehran Bus Company, it was agreed to replace 2% of the fuel used by buses on the Imam Ali (PBUH) BRT line with this environment-friendly alternative,” Latifi said, adding that they will increase the contribution of this biofuel to 5% and also 10% if the results are promising.
The environmental impact of biodiesel will be regularly monitored by a private company to see determine the effectiveness of the product. He did not name the company.
“If the results of the trial are favorable, the biodiesel scheme will be piloted on Kish Island and later across the country,” Latifi was quoted by the news agency as saying.
Five million clunkers that burn low-quality petrol ply the streets of Tehran, contributing a staggering 80% to the capital’s seemingly unending air pollution that has worsened over the years as an ever increasing number of Iranians buy cars, many due to the lack of sufficient and efficient public transport.
During the past winter, the metropolis experienced consecutive weeks of heavy pollution and thick smog, forcing officials to shut schools for a total of seven days and urging children, the elderly and those with breathing ailments to stay indoors.
