02/06/2008 (WHNT) - The recycling center in the city of Florence is busy. Workers have their hands full with bottles, plastic cartons, paper, cardboard, and aluminum cans. Now, there is a new addition - cooking oil.

David Koonce, the manager for the city's solid waste, streets, and recycling departments says recycling the oil has many benefits.

"It's a great thing in several aspects because not only does it keep it out of the landfill," says Koonce. "It keeps it out of the sewer system, and then it gives us a product we can use."

That product is bio-diesel. City officials plan to convert old cooking oil collected from residents into bio-diesel to use in city vehicles.

"We'll add two chemicals in it," explains gas and water manager Michael Doyle. "What that does is separate the water and the glycerin in there from the oil and the product you have left is bio-diesel."

Doyle says the city studied the concept of bio-diesel and found that cooking oil could become a real cost-cutting alternative.

"If we collected 600 gallons a month, we can make 2,750 gallons of blended bio-diesel and that will save us approximately $20,000," says Doyle.

Doyle says this program isn't just beneficial for the city, it will save residents a lot of money too.

"When you put grease down the drain, it causes stoppages in the sewer system and that costs in the way of maintenance which goes back to the rate payers," says Doyle.

Cooking oil collection starts right away. City waste officials say to put the containers of oil next to your trash can, not in it. Soon, they will start sending out special containers for people to fill up and turn in for recycling.