This refinery is turning cattle into 'green' jet fuel-but it's destroying the Amazon

"A Texas refinery that supplies green fuel to U.S. airlines has been purchasing animal fat from cattle raised on illegally cleared lands in the Amazon rainforest, according to a Reuters review of government tracking data, interviews and eyewitness accounts. Reuters also interviewed over a dozen people involved in each step of the beef tallow supply chain, including traders, truck drivers, prosecutors, auditors and regulators."

"In 2022, Darling Ingredients CEO Randall Stuewe announced the $557 million acquisition of several plants in Brazil, including four in the Amazon region, that would supply "waste fats to be used in the production of renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel," according to a statement issued at the time. In a statement, Heller's lawyer Vinicius Segatto said Brazil's environmental law is "excessively rigorous" and that the criminal case against his client is ongoing."

Government tracking data, interviews and eyewitness accounts indicate a Texas refinery that supplies green fuel to U.S. airlines purchased animal fat from cattle raised on illegally cleared land in the Amazon rainforest. Multiple participants in the beef tallow supply chain, including traders, truck drivers, prosecutors, auditors and regulators, provided information on sourcing and transport. Diamond Green Diesel sources tallow from multiple countries, and the share originating from illegally cleared Amazon ranches is not determined. Darling Ingredients acquired Brazilian plants, including in the Amazon, to supply waste fats for renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel. A lawyer for an implicated rancher called Brazil's environmental law excessively rigorous and said a criminal case is ongoing. Airlines face pressure to buy more green jet fuel, while supporters argue tallow demand alone is unlikely to drive deforestation because tallow represents less than 3% of an animal's slaughterhouse value. The International Civil Aviation Organization says it monitors third-party compliance and welcomes information on potential deviations.

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