The Great Neck Water Pollution Control District has announced that it has received an award from the American Council of Engineering Companies for its groundbreaking work in constructing its new Grease Receiving Station.
The station, the first of its kind in Nassau County, was completed last year and will benefit the Great Neck community environmentally as well as provide income to the GNWPCD annually for years to come.
“My fellow commissioners and I are exceptionally proud of the work done by Superintendent Christopher Murphy and the rest of our incredible team in making the Grease Receiving Station a reality,” said GNWPCD Chairwoman Patty Katz. “We are honored to receive this award from the ACEC, as it shows us that our groundbreaking work at the District is being recognized by some of the best minds in our industry.”
The Grease Receiving Station collects brown grease from local restaurants and commercial kitchens. The fees paid to the District by grease haulers are estimated to generate over $100,000 annually.
The grease is used to enhance the production of biogas at the District’s facility increasing the amount of sustainable electricity and heat generated by the district’s onsite microturbines. It is the final piece of the improvements at the District which came as a result of a $12.2 million state grant awarded to the District in 2018.
The environmental benefits of the station are significant as well, as it provides restaurants and commercial kitchens with a safe and convenient way of disposing of grease that has the potential to harm the area’s water supply and ecosystem.
This is a win-win situation, cutting down the carbon footprint of haulers as well as having the option to transport to a local facility instead of transporting to waste facilities much farther away.
