JOHNSTON – By simply choosing cleaner-burning, higher-performing E15 during the month of October, drivers across six states raised a record $11,500 for breast cancer awareness and research as part of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association’s (IRFA) second-annual Pink at the Pump campaign.
This year’s campaign also saw a record number of participating stations. Sixty-four E15 retail stations across Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, Texas and Virginia donated three cents of every gallon of E15 sold from Oct. 1 through Oct. 31 to National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) and The Hormel Institute.
“The campaign is a great opportunity for E15 retailers to join forces with a worthy cause to raise awareness of how E15 can help reduce human exposure to cancer-causing chemicals,” said IRFA Managing Director Lucy Norton. “Retailers reported that Pink at the Pump encouraged many new folks to try E15. We’re hopeful these new customers will continue to choose E15 and help us fight cancer all year long.”
NBCF provides help and inspires hope to those affected by breast cancer through early detection, education and support services.The Hormel Institute is a global, cutting-edge research facility with a seven-decade history of making significant scientific discoveries on better ways to prevent, detect and treat cancer.
Participating E15 locations featured pink E15 nozzle guards and other pink point-of-sale materials as part of the campaign, sponsored by IRFA and the Iowa Corn Promotion Board.
“It is exciting to see how much Pink at the Pump has grown in only its second year,” said Norton. “We’ve doubled the number of retailers and the amount of funds raised from 2016. Drivers are really catching on to what a great option E15 is for all 2001 and newer vehicles because it burns cleaner, reduces the amount of cancer-causing chemicals in the air and is higher octane.”
E15 is a fuel blend containing 15 percent ethanol, just five percent more ethanol than E10, the most commonly used fuel in the U.S. E15 is often sold at a 5 to 10-cent per-gallon discount to E10, and is approved by the Environmental Protection Agency for use in all 2001 and newer vehicles. To learn more about E15, go to iowarfa.org/ethanol-center/e15/e15-facts.
Participating companies included Ampride, Casey’s General Store, Cresco Fast Stop, Crossroads of Spencer, Decorah Mart, FAST STOP Express, Fuel Time, Good & Quick, Hometown Fuel, Hull Coop, Junction 9-75, Linn Coop Oil Company, Murphy USA, New Century FS, Sundstop, Three Rivers FS, United Farmers Coop and Waukon Feed Ranch.
For more information on Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, visit www.IowaRFA.org.