Well, summer has officially started. This week’s solstice marks the true beginning. While to me it seems somewhat like an ending in that the days are now getting shorter and that feels less summery, that is a topic for another column. Summer means many things along the Maine coast, but primarily, the start of a major outdoor recreation season — and much of that takes place on or near the water. As is a challenge for many coastal places that draw throngs of tourists, this is a mainstay of Maine’s economy but also can be problematic for our marine environments. One local start-up has created a solution to one of the potential negative impacts to coastal waters.

Maine Standard Biofuels is a Portland-based company, founded in 2006, that recycles cooking oil to create a variety of products. They partner with more than 1,000 restaurants in New England to collect waste oil and use their refinery to create a variety of products, including home heating oil, biodiesel, professional-strength kitchen cleaners and now a multipurpose lubricant. Solvitall is the newest in the product line and perhaps the most obviously impactful on the marine environment as it can be used on boats and other marine structures that typically would require petroleum-based products like WD-40. These are not biodegradable and can be toxic to marine life. Having an alternative like Solvitall that is biodegradable, nontoxic and food safe, among other qualities, is an exciting development in reducing impacts to water quality along the coast.

As the name describes, Solvitall is a multipurpose lubricant that is designed to “solve it all” — with applications in everything from boating to biking to automotive and home gardening. Until recently, the product was only available directly or at the New England Ocean Cluster on the waterfront in Portland, where they have a small office amidst many other innovative small companies working in the blue economy. Some of these companies, including Maine Standard Biofuels, are also members of the Maine Outdoor Brands, an alliance of outdoor gear and product brands, guides, experience providers, retail companies, and nonprofits working to grow and strengthen Maine’s outdoor industry, which also has an office at the NEOC. Now, it is available through direct order as a part of a newly launched Indiegogo campaign. You can buy a Fresh Start or a Pro kit, each of which include a variety of sample products and also a biodegradable cleaning cloth.

In addition to Solvitall, Maine Standard Biofuel’s refinery, which runs on sustainable energy and produces near-zero waste, produces a number of other products, including biodiesel and heating oil. The fleet of trucks that deliver the biodiesel is fueled by biodiesel itself. This is a clean alternative to petroleum diesel and is being utilized by local businesses such as Casco Bay Lines, which has utilized an 80/20 blend of biodiesel since 2014. In addition to providing alternative fuels for transport, their Bio20 heating oil is an alternative to traditional petroleum-based heating oils and burns up to 18% more efficiently and has lower sulfur content. Lewiston’s Bates College utilizes this oil as well as biodiesel, which now make up 10% of their emissions profile. In another iteration of recycling, some of the cooking oil that is recycled ends up right back in the kitchen in the form of their Wicked Strong kitchen cleaners and degreasers.

Amidst the many fears of changes in climate and impacts to the marine environment, it is heartening to see local companies coming up with new, simple solutions that can help not only things like water quality but also literally fuel the Maine economy by creating new industries and providing new job opportunities.

Susan Olcott is the director of operations at Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association.

Copy the Story Link

« Previous

Palestinian Mainer wants cease-fire resolution weighed by Brunswick Town Council

Next »

BoomerTECH Adventures: Digital support for your hobbies and interests