MONROE, Wash. – The Evergreen State Fair in Monroe is becoming a little greener as workers convert used cooking oil into bio-diesel. And that fuel is being used to power tractors and other machinery at the fair.

KING

At the Evergreen State Fair used cooking oil is fueling the fair's fleet of tractors.

At Casper's Everglades, Peter Zuvela is cooking Cajun. And like most of the favorite treats at the Evergreen State Fair, the food served at his booth is deep-fried in oil.

"Each of these holds about six-and-a-half gallons," he described.

Multiply that by hundreds of other fryers and that's a lot of used oil.

At many fairs, vendors have to recycle it themselves, but not at the Evergreen State Fair where it is fueling the fair's fleet of tractors.

"We're actually producing fuel at the fair for which we would otherwise have to pay," said Deanna Carveth.

Carveth with Snohomish County's Solid Waste Division is part of the team that is collecting used cooking oil and converting it to bio-diesel.

Right on the fairgrounds, they refine the goop that comes out of deep-fryers.

"So glycerin on the bottom, fuel on the top," she explained.

The fuel burns cleaner than diesel and smells better too.

"I've driven a lot of diesel rigs and there's no odor at all from this," said Dale Taylor.

In years past, the fair would have to pay thousands of dollars to have used oil hauled away, but by turning it to fuel, they're actually making 10 cents a gallon.

"Instead of sending it somewhere else, you might as well use what you got here," said Zuvela.

After the fair is over, there should be enough bio-diesel left over to power the tractors used to maintain the fairgrounds throughout the fall and winter.