One way to solve the glycerol problem in biodiesel

Usually, in the biodiesel business, one removes the glycerol via transesterification before burning the resultant methyl ester of fatty acids.

However, in Westwood Borough, New Jersey:

The used vegetable oil is placed in the centrifuge and heated to 125 degrees for about three hours, Castellano said. The process removes water and solid particles from the oil, he said.

The borough mixes 15 gallons of vegetable oil to 35 gallons of diesel fuel for use in its larger garbage trucks. A 50-50 mix is used in smaller trucks.

The borough uses about 90 gallons of vegetable oil per day during the leaf season, Hoffmann said.