SAN FRANCISCO – San Francisco residents can contribute holiday meal waste grease from meals to help run the city’s biofuel fleet of vehicles, through the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission’s (SFPUC)SFGreasecycle program, according to http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com.

During a five-day span over the holidays, residents dropped off used cooking oil, stored in leak-proof containers and secured with a tight lid, in the local Costco parking lot. Used cooking oil from the event will be converted into biofuel to run city vehicles, including SFGReasecycle trucks that pick up waste grease from some 140 restaurants that have already signed up for the free service, according to the SFPUC.

According to the SFPUC, the new program, which received more than a ton of used cooking oil from residents after Thanksgiving, is the first of its kind in the country for a large city to fuel its municipal vehicles.

Officials said the program saves money for city businesses and residents, reduces clogs in city sewers, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

According to SFPUC General Manager Susan Leal, the SFPUC is exploring having permanent cooking oil collection centers throughout the city, according to www.sanfranciscosentinel.com. Those unable to participate in the holiday collection event can bring waste oil to the designated drop-off location, which is open Thursday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call 415-695-7366 or visit sfgreasecycle.org.