‘Splash and dash’ hits UK biofuels firm

The enormous damage being done by “splash and dash” imports of American biodiesel were highlighted today when one of the UK’s leading operators, D1 Oils, said it was closing down all its refining operations in Britain after running up a


Nearly 90 staff in Middlesbrough and Bromborough, Merseyside, could lose their jobs as the newly built biodiesel refineries and research laboratories are shut down. D1 will hope to sell on the equipment and sites but said the economics of the business were so poor now that it would be lucky to gain much on their disposal.

Elliott Mannis, the D1 chief executive, said it was “extremely frustrating” that the company had been forced to bow out of refining because nothing had been done to stop the deluge of B99 biodiesel from the US. “It’s an unbelievable situation and there is no end in sight,” he added.

Guardian