Louisiana § RS 3:4674.1 - Biodiesel production; restaurant waste fats, oils, and grease

§ RS 3:4674.1. Biodiesel production; restaurant waste fats, oils, and grease

A.  As provided in R.S. 3:4674, the production and use of renewable fuels, including biodiesel, in Louisiana is vital to the economy and environment of Louisiana.  To further encourage and promote the production of biodiesel and avoid the unnecessary disposal of material that otherwise could be beneficially used within this state, the legislature hereby finds and declares that waste fats, oils, and grease generated by Louisiana restaurants should be used to produce biodiesel within Louisiana.

B.  For purposes of this Section, the following terms shall have the meanings hereinafter ascribed to them unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

(1)  "Biodiesel" means bio-diesel as defined in R.S. 3:4674(B)(2).

(2)  "Restaurant" means a food preparation establishment, including but not limited to a coffee shop, cafeteria, sandwich stand, fast food restaurant, or school cafeteria, that gives or offers for sale food to the public, guests, or employees, as well as a kitchen or catering facility in which food is prepared on the premises for serving elsewhere.

(3)  "Waste fats, oils, and grease" means waste fats, waste cooking oils, grease trap wastes, and the like that are produced in restaurants.

C.  Restaurants shall be encouraged to provide their waste fats, oils, and grease to biodiesel manufacturers.  Moreover, restaurants shall be encouraged to gather, process, and store their waste fats, oils, and grease in a manner that facilitates the use of such waste fats, oils, and grease in the production of biodiesel.

D.  The commissioner shall study and monitor the production of biodiesel within the state.  When the annual capacity of biodiesel production facilities in Louisiana reaches twenty-five million gallons, the commissioner shall provide notice to all restaurants within the state, informing them that the annual capacity of biodiesel production facilities in Louisiana has reached twenty-five million gallons.  In such notice, the commissioner shall further encourage each restaurant within this state to provide its waste fats, oils, and grease either directly to a biodiesel manufacturer or to a third party who shall provide such waste fats, oils, and grease to a biodiesel manufacturer.  The notice shall be provided by posting a copy of such notice on the department's website and mailing a copy of such notice to the Louisiana Restaurant Association.  The Louisiana Restaurant Association, may disseminate the commissioner's notice to Louisiana restaurants in such manner as it deems appropriate.

Acts 2009, No. 217, §1, eff. June 30, 2009.