'Home brewers' of diesel fuel face dangers

Gene Leach runs his diesel pickup truck on homemade fuel he creates by mixing used cooking oil with powerful chemicals to produce a clean-burning alternative to high-priced commercial diesel fuel.

Leach said his wife also runs her Mercedes SUV on the stuff and the couple uses it to fuel their recreational quads. Like many Phoenix residents who dabble in biodiesel, he wonders if the investment is worth the time and resources spent carefully ensuring that the fuel is made safely.

Leach and others from Dynamite Biofuels Co-op, a group based at a co-op member's home near Dynamite and Tatum boulevards, collect spent fryer oil from local restaurants to turn into fuel for diesel-only vehicles. The group then heats the oil with highly toxic chemicals like methanol and lye - ingredients also used in methamphetamine - the same way many people do on a smaller scale in the garages.

City officials are concerned about biodiesel "home brewers" and the lack of oversight after residents of a southwest Phoenix community alerted authorities to a neighbor's garage. Firefighters said several 55-gallon drums of chemicals were too close to ignition points like electric sockets and electric garage door.

With few regulations focused on less-experienced "home brewers," the fire department plans to partner with other city offices on a biodiesel task force to help educate residents on the hazards of skirting permits, codes and hazardous material regulations.

Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon and Fire Chief Bob Khan said the task force is designed to bring residents in compliance to produce biodiesel without accidentally triggering an explosion or endangering neighbors.

Leach and Dynamite Biofuels Co-op co-founder Jay Nance, who run their operation mostly outdoors on a Maricopa County island, are prepared to work closer with government officials but hope responsible home brewers are not penalized or forced underground because of a few people who make careless mistakes.

"We believe it's important to promote alternative fuel use and that, if done correctly, it can in fact be done safely, even in your garage," said Leach, a Montessori school founder who co-founded Dynamite Biofuels as an investment.

"You need to be aware of containment issues, in terms of being able to handle any kind of a spill that might occur," he said.

Gene Leach (left) and Dynamite Biofuels Co-opco-founder Jay Nance run their operation mostly outdoors on a Maricopa County island.