Used cooking oil recycling programs can be found throughout the country, offered by city-run, state-run, and individual organizations that specialize in cooking oil collection and recycling. Organizations that provide Columbus commercial cooking oil collection and recycling services serve a key role in an important process that takes used cooking oil from commercial and industrial kitchens to the final result of recycling the oil into biofuel.

Used cooking oil being recycled into other forms is not new. In fact, the recycling of used cooking oil is a relatively important process that helps to support industries like animal feed and biodiesel fuel. And for biofuel in particular, the recycling of used cooking oil is a great fuel source alternative. As an article from Scientific Reports notes, “biodiesel production from waste cooking oil (WCO) provides an alternative energy means of producing liquid fuels from biomass for various uses.”

The recycling of used cooking oil into biofuel helps fill growing energy needs with a clean, renewable energy source and helps reduce the environmental impact of improperly disposed cooking oil.

But what exactly goes into the chemistry of turning used cooking oil into biofuel? Below, we dig into the process behind this sustainable energy solution.

What is Biodiesel Fuel?

As defined by the U.S. Department of Energy, biodiesel fuel is a renewable and biodegradable fuel source that is “manufactured domestically from vegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled restaurant grease.” Biodiesel is often found in gas that is used to fuel cars, trucks, and other vehicles. When used as a vehicle fuel, biodiesel fuel is able to offer very noticeable greenhouse gas emissions benefits.

By using biodiesel fuel, carbon emissions can be minimized and there is a reduction in harmful emissions that helps to improve overall air quality.

How is Used Cooking Oil Recycled into Biofuel?

The process of recycling used cooking oil into biofuel starts off with collection. A Columbus commercial cooking oil collection company will collect used cooking oil from industrial and commercial kitchens. These kitchens have a system in place to transfer used oil into a container, often located outside.

Following collection, the used cooking oil will be transported back to the used cooking oil recycling program’s facility. Once at the facility, the purification and refinement process will start.

Used cooking oil is typically full of impurities and contaminants that need to be removed.

Contaminants can include:

  • Food scraps
  • Water
  • Bacteria
  • Crumbs
  • Broken down particles

To remove impurities and contaminants from the used cooking oil, the oil will be put through a filtering process. After filtering and purification, the used cooking oil can now be converted into biofuel.

The Science of Using Used Cooking Oil into Biofuel

Let’s first understand that used cooking oil on its own cannot be used as fuel. Used cooking oil, even after being filtered and purified, is still just used cooking oil. To be recycled into biodiesel fuel, a chemical process called transesterification has to happen.

Transesterification is a chemical process that changes used cooking oil into a safe form of biodiesel fuel that can be used. This process essentially converts cooking oils into biodiesel and glycerine (which is considered to be a coproduct.)

The process begins by combining the feedstock (in this instance, the used cooking oil) with an alcohol, like ethanol, with a catalyst, such as sodium hydroxide. The reaction that results from this combination breaks something known as ester bonds in the feedstock and replaces those bonds with alcohol molecules. Once this occurs, biodiesel has been produced.

Once the biodiesel fuel has been produced, it can then be blended with traditional petroleum diesel to be used in vehicles.

And there you have it, the basic science behind how used cooking oil is recycled into biofuel.

If you would like to learn more about this process or you would like to work with a used cooking oil recycling program for their collection services, be sure to find a company near you that offers Columbus commercial cooking oil collection services.