US Surgeon Uses Liposuction Fat to Fuel Car

Any type of oil can be used, with or without modification, as a biofuel. The fat from liposuction is no exception. While I applaud the surgeon's effort to be more 'green' on the one hand, the use of liposuction fat poses several issues that are quite different from the use of any other oil source. First and foremost, the burning of human material (even if it is to be discarded and is waste) poses the risk of dumping viral and DNA materials (that may not be destroyed by the combustion process) into the local atmosphere. I am certain no one really wants to be inhaling their neighbor's DNA. This is why dumping human waste from medical procedures into landfills and dumps violates numerous federal, state, and local laws. Disease transmission is a real risk and is a public hazard. Secondly, even if it is waste and it was legal (which it is not), patient permission is needed to use any human material. Even if the patient doesn't want it, you are not free to do with it as you will. Patient's own their bodily material even when it is extracted from them and they no longer claim any affinity for it.

The story is humorous in many ways but the using of body parts for any purpose, even for 'saving the earth', is fraught with poor judgment and legal ramifications.

I wonder what kind of mileage he gets, and I can't imagine what the exhaust must smell like.

I used to run my Transit van on used chip fat it would have been cheaper to take a fat friend out with me!

I think there would be a smell when the fuel is used?

That video of liposuction is just gross!

I'd like to purchase a few liters of human fat for soap making.

Hey - here's the letter from the Doctor's own website - announcing the closure of his clinic - the good doctor has 'skipped town.

I loved the quote in the piece from the Doc about his patients:

Classic!

Dr. Eppley is spot on.  Although many find this story amusing and/or this physicians ingenuity "cutting edge" it is extremely dangerous to be using bio-wastes in such a manner.  And ethically, this is no different than the UCLA scandal wherein the morgue attendant was selling body parts to medical device companies for MD's to practice with their devices.  This physician would be better off SELLING suv's instead of practicing medicine.  His timely philanthropic retreat to South America to help the needy is nothing more than a weak attempt to disguise his fugitive from the law status.  Afterall, how many starving third world people need liposuction?!!!!!