Total Grant amount: $77,687

MBEP Contribution: $20,600

Grantee: Michigan Innovative Farmers Association

Great Lakes Oil Company

Principal Investigator: Clancy Eldredge

Great Lakes Oil Company

(248) 594-6620

• Damage to soil and water from improper disposal of used motor oils and emissions from

vehicles can be significant as the EPA estimates that each year millions of gallons of used

petroleum engine oils are not recycled or disposed of properly.

• Many farmers are having a hard time making farming profitable. In Michigan there is over

800,000 acres of under- or unutilized farm land, as well as an annual revenue loss of over

$500 million.

• Demonstrate the viability and emissions reduction from the use of AMG 2000 a 100%

biodegradable, vegetable-based motor oil and lubricant through vehicle testing.

• Approximately 40 U.S. Postal Service (USPS) vehicles and 15 other vehicles has participated

in the vehicle studies.

• AMG 2000 motor oil is placed into the test vehicles, oil changes are performed on a regular

basis and vehicles are analyzed for emissions, oil consumption, engine wear and gas mileage

compared to petroleum-based oil testing results.

• Testing by the USPS found emission reductions of 66% for hydrocarbon and 83% for carbon

monoxide. Further analysis found that if AMG 2000 was used in the entire USPS Michigan

fleet there would be a hydrocarbon reduction of 30,000 lbs. and a reductions of 814,000 lbs.

of Carbon Monoxide per year.

• There was also reduced oil sludging and engine wear and a 90% reduction in oil

consumption in vehicles that participated in the vehicle testing.

• Provide farmers with an alternative crops and additional profits from growing soybean and

canola for production of the oil.

• Reduction of soil and water contamination/pollution from oil spills and illegal disposal of

used oil, improved air quality from emission reductions and reduction on the reliance of

foreign oil.

• Phase II of the project will consist of further vehicle testing on vehicles from MSU, WMU,

Consumers Energy, MI Dept of Agriculture, USDA and 28 Michigan legislators.

• USPS has indicated they are interested in using the oil in areas that are in non-attainment for

EPA air quality measures and other environmentally sensitive areas.

• Will be launching a project with the National Parks Service at Picture Rocks National

Lakeshore Park to use their biodegradable oil in park vehicles, boats and snowmobiles.