JBS supplies tallow, lard for sustainable aviation fuel

Sao Paulo | Reuters—Brazilian meatpacker JBS is supplying tallow and lard from its international operations for production of renewable aviation fuels, and it is studying a similar initiative in Brazil through the Friboi brand, the company said on Monday.

According to JBS, in two years 1.2 million metric tons of beef tallow and pork lard from its units in the United States, Canada and Australia have already been directed to the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and other renewable fuels.

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In Brazil, Friboi began studies to test the feasibility of supplying animal waste for local production of SAF, which is seen as an important solution for commercial aviation to reduce its carbon emissions.

“By reusing animal waste, we contribute to the environment and help this critical sector in its decarbonization process,” JBS’s global chief sustainability officer, Jason Weller, said in a statement. The initiative, he added, reinforces the company’s commitment to responsible waste management and circular economy.

JBS is also studying the feasibility of producing renewable fuel for ships as an alternative to bunker oil through Biopower, its company focused on manufacturing biodiesel. Biopower has three Brazil plants for the production of biofuel from organic waste from cattle processing.

JBS is controlled by J&F, a holding company owned by Brazilian billionaire brothers Joesley and Wesley Batista. It has been seeking to expand its initiatives in sustainable energy.

—Reporting for Reuters by Leticia Fucuchima in Sao Paulo