24 - Friday, April 5, 1991 - North Shore News Company searches for cleaner fuels A NORTH VANCOUVER-based oil company that has won awards for its environmentaliy sound fuel products continues to be involved in the search for cleaner, safer fuels, said the company’s vice-president of environmental and external affairs. Gordon Winter, a vice-president of the Mohawk Oil Company Ltd., said the company is involved in most alternative fuel sources such as diesel, propane and com- pressed natural gas. The company is also involved in fuels containing ethanol, an ethyl alcohol. ‘Ethanol treated gasoline) is cleaner running, so there are benefits to the automobile,” Winter said. ‘‘The higher octane By Jeremy Hainsworth Contributing Writer also provides for better perfor- mance.”’ The company has recently started producing its EcoChoice gasoline which is 10 per cent ethanol. The ethanol is produced at a plant in Minnedosa, Manitoba, and has several advantages over regular untreated gasolines, Winter said. He noted the ethanol treated fucl produces up to 40 per cent fess carbon monoxide emis- sions, acts as a form of anti-freeze in colder driving conditions and, because it is distilled from grains, also provides farmers with another market for their crops. The ethanol plants — a new one is being built in Lanigan, Saskat- chewan — also provide a by- product, Distiller’s Ory Grain, a high-protein derivative which can be used as animal feed. The Lanigan plant is being built in association with the Saskat- chewan Wheat Pool and Pound- maker Feeders, a livestock feed supplier. The company aiso produces a 100 per cent ethanol fuel which is being used in an experimental bus project in Regina, Saskatchewan. The city has purchased two buses which operate solely on ethanol. Mohawk has the sole contract to supply the buses with fuel. In 1989 the federal government established the Environmental Achievement Awards for ‘‘in- novative and environmental con- duct by a corporation.’’ The first winner was Mohawk for ifs used oil treatment plant in North Van- couver. “People were astounded that an oil company would win an en- vironmental award,’” Winter said. The company is also allowed to use the EcoLogo symbol on its packaging. The logo indicates the federal government’s recognition the right to use it on its ethanol treated fuels. “We are the only (oil) company in Canada that can put the EcoLogo on our pumps,’ Winter said. The North Vancouver plant was opened in 1981 and produces base oils which are sold or blended into lubricants by the company. The plant consumes 30 million litres of used oil per year and produces 18 million titres of re-refined oil from the used stock. “The provincial government decided in 1989 that all of their vehicles would use only recycled oil," Winter said, noting that the government has a fleet of 5,500 vehicles. '*We could be the sole supplier or sell it to other com- panies so they could share in the business.”’ “We use recycled oil from Mohawk,"’ said North Vancouver pon of an environmentally friendly product. Mohawk was first granted the right to use the logo along with six other companies in 1990 and was, last week, granted District Yards spokesperson Mike McDonald. ‘‘Mohawk picks up the old product and we participate fully in the scheme. We’re actually quite happy with the product.” EXCLUSIVE ROAD HAZARD WARRANTY MICHELIN TIRES because so much is riding on your tires LS Se MACHELEN f—\ ¢s COMPLETE EXHAUST SERVICING e LIFETIME WARRANTY MUFFLERS TIRES KH-785 Premium Steel Belted Passenger Radial Tires 4-WHEEL ALIGNMENT 100,000 KILOMETER 25% ROAD HAZARD LIMITED WARRANTY a SHOCKS © DUONLOF SIYCS TIRES ine covikiti pane To feero™’ We're Better Together” ‘fo keep your Honda in condi- Honda Parts that the others simply on, see the people who work cant match. with Hondas every working day. Your Honda was built by spe tee . The service specialists at cialists. Why have it serviced by Specializing in Pacific Honda. ; anyone else? We have factory-trained experts who know your automobile inside and out. With the access ta Honda service updates and Genuine Professicnal Workmanship & Courteous Service Maintain the Quality ~ with Genuine Horda Parts and Service We are now a certified vehicle testing station. The only authorized Honda dealer on the North Shore. 212 FELL AVENUE NGRTH VANCOUVER 985-8265 4q een a ore | (a = i [| MONDAY THRU SATURDAY 7:30AM-6PM i yl _ 984-0331 ! Direct Service Line 987-4618