Remembering our founder, the inventor of GreaseShield®, and the man whose vision and determination shaped nearly three decades of environmental innovation.
It is with great sadness that we remember Jim O’Neill, the founder of Environmental Products and Services Ltd (EPAS) and the inventor of GreaseShield®. Jim was an entrepreneur, an inventor and a businessman whose determination to turn ideas into reality shaped our company and its journey over nearly three decades.
Since founding EPAS in 1998, Jim dedicated himself to developing practical solutions to environmental challenges, taking an invention developed in Northern Ireland and establishing GreaseShield as an internationally recognised global technology.
But Jim’s story began long before EPAS. His entrepreneurial spirit, his ability to recognise opportunities and his determination to solve problems were qualities that defined him throughout his life.
As we reflect on his passing, we want to celebrate not only his achievements, but the character, ambition and vision of the man behind them.
An Entrepreneur at Heart
Jim was a businessman long before he founded EPAS. His entrepreneurial ventures took him across a remarkable range of industries, from furniture to the invention of mechanical chicken-catching equipment.
While these businesses may have had little in common on the surface, they reflected something fundamental about Jim. He had an instinct for identifying opportunities, a practical approach to solving problems and the determination to pursue ideas that others might have overlooked.
He was never someone who felt confined to one industry or one way of doing things. If Jim saw a problem, he wanted to find a solution, and he was rarely short of ideas about how to achieve it.
That entrepreneurial approach eventually led him towards one of his most significant achievements: the invention of GreaseShield®.
The Invention That Started Our Company
In 1998, Jim established Environmental Products and Services Ltd, beginning a new chapter in his entrepreneurial journey.
Recognising the problems caused by fats, oils and grease (FOG) entering commercial kitchen drainage systems, Jim invented GreaseShield®, a pro-active grease recovery system designed to separate and remove FOG from wastewater.
At a time when conventional grease management largely relied on retaining grease for periodic cleaning and disposal, Jim developed a different approach. GreaseShield was designed to automatically recover FOG at source, helping to prevent its accumulation within drainage infrastructure while allowing the collected material to be managed separately.
His invention became the foundation of EPAS and the product for which our company would become best known.
Over the following years, GreaseShield continued to develop, with improvements in engineering, performance and efficiency helping to establish the technology in commercial kitchens across international markets.
What began as Jim’s idea in Northern Ireland grew into a product exported around the world, demonstrating what could be achieved through determination, practical engineering and a willingness to challenge established methods.
Nearly Three Decades of Innovation
Under Jim’s leadership, EPAS developed from a small Northern Ireland business into an internationally recognised manufacturer of environmental and drainage protection equipment.
GreaseShield remained at the heart of our operations, but Jim’s commitment to developing new solutions extended into other products and technologies, including FilterShield™, FlexiPlumb and SanicShield®.
Throughout this journey, our company received numerous awards for innovation, engineering and environmental performance.
Across nearly three decades, these achievements reflected Jim’s determination to continually develop and improve his inventions, bringing technology designed and manufactured in Northern Ireland to customers around the world.
A Commitment to Protecting the Environment
As EPAS grew, environmental responsibility became an increasingly important part of Jim’s work and the direction of our company.
Through GreaseShield and FilterShield, he helped develop solutions aimed at preventing fats, oils, grease and food waste from entering drainage systems, reducing the potential for blockages and wastewater pollution.
Jim also recognised that environmental responsibility should extend beyond the products we manufacture.
His commitment to sustainability helped drive improvements throughout our business, including renewable energy initiatives, environmental management practices and independent certification.
One of our most significant recent achievements and Jim’s proudest, was attaining ISO 14068-1 certification for carbon neutrality, reflecting years of work to understand, reduce and address our company’s environmental impact.
For Jim, innovation and environmental responsibility were closely connected. Developing better technology was not simply about improving performance or creating commercial opportunities. It was also about finding practical ways to reduce waste, use resources more efficiently and protect the environment.
That principle continues to shape the work we do today.
Remembering Jim
Of course, those of us who knew Jim will remember much more than his inventions and business achievements.
Jim was a larger-than-life character. He was determined, outspoken and rarely afraid to say exactly what he thought. He had a sharp wit and an ability to deliver a one-liner.
He could be stubborn, particularly when he believed in an idea, but that determination was also one of the qualities that allowed him to achieve so much.
Beneath his strong personality was someone who genuinely cared about the people around him.
For those of us who had the opportunity to work alongside him, Jim was more than the founder of EPAS. His personality, his ideas and his approach to business became part of the character of our company.
He leaves behind many memories, stories and lessons that will remain with us for years to come.
A Fitting Recognition
In September 2026, we were proud to receive two Highly Commended honours at the Greater Newry Business Awards: Best Innovative Business and Best Green Business.
Of the many awards and recognitions received throughout our company’s history, these two seem particularly fitting as we remember Jim.
Innovation had been a constant throughout his life. From his early entrepreneurial ventures and mechanical inventions to the development of GreaseShield, Jim was always looking for new ways to solve problems.
Environmental responsibility became the defining purpose of his later work. Through the technologies he invented and the company he built, he dedicated nearly three decades to developing practical solutions that could make a difference.
Innovative and green. Two simple words that sum up so much of what Jim stood for.
A Legacy That Continues
Nearly three decades after EPAS was established, Jim leaves behind a legacy that extends far beyond the business he founded.
His inventions have reached customers around the world. His commitment to innovation has shaped the products we develop, and his belief in environmental responsibility remains central to our company.
Most importantly, his influence lives on through the people who worked alongside him and who will continue building upon the foundations he established.
As we look to the future, we remain committed to carrying forward the principles that guided Jim throughout his career: practical innovation, determination and a belief that there is always a better way to do things.
We are immensely proud of what Jim created, and grateful to have been part of his remarkable journey.
From all of us at EPAS, thank you, Jim, for your vision, your determination and everything you built.
You will be greatly missed.
