SPOKANE, WA - City of Spokane officials recently announced that the city's 1,400 vehicles will now be running on re-refined motor oil, a product made from waste oil, according to The Spokesman-Review.

The change is part of Mayor Mary Verner's focus on environmental awareness.

Gene Jakubczak, Spokane's fleet services director, said re-refined oil performs as well or better than motor oil made from virgin crude, and using it reduces U.S. reliance on foreign imports while conserving fossil fuels, reported The Spokesman-Review.

The city is paying 25 cents a gallon more for re-refined oil than for oil from virgin crude, "an extremely minimal hit in the scheme of things," Jakubczak was quoted as saying by the Spokesman-Review.

The oil is being purchased from a local supplier through a contract negotiated by the state, the Spokesman-Review reported.