I googled it and apparently you can compost it, but you have to make sure to mix it with lots of other stuff so it doesn't congeal and block airflow.

uidaho.edu has a bio-diesel q&a page. They say you can compost the glycerine or burn it in your fuel oil.

Hello, I'm the nutty hubbie who makes the biodiesel. I'm actually considering "sheet composting" the glycerine on the surface of the garden. The glycerine is a byproduct of the biodiesel process. For each 250 gallon batch of biodiesel we end up with about 75 gallons of glycerine. While it will burn, it does not have a high heating value. Using it as a fuel is not an option.

Some farming biodieselers are feeding it to their cattle as a supplement - apparently the cows love it because it tastes sweet.

If we spread it on the garden, what will it add to the soil? Will it encourage worms? (Desireable) Will it draw deer? (Undesireable)

It also makes an excellent hand cleaner (like Go-Jo) and engine degreaser.

Glycerine is a pretty fast carbon source. Deer will go for sweet stuff. You're probably better off hot-composting it in that case.

Duh, I guess I didn't even think about googling it!! Sorry.
I did find these and checked out the others....

If you want to recycle your glycerin by-product this way learn to make good compost.

http://snipurl.com/rq1z
Re: [Biofuel] Crude Glycerin and Hot Compost
30 May 2006

http://snipurl.com/rq20
Re: [Biofuel] more goofy questions [composting the glycerine cocktail]
31 May 2006

Next question, have any of you done this before? What would your concerns be?

Thanks,
Heather

Anyway, my hubbie converts used cooking oil into bio-diesel.

For each 250 gallon batch of biodiesel .....

I love the idea of using cooking oil as fuel, but I gotta ask - how long does it take to accumulate 250 gallons?

Hubbie here...

I'm picking up about 25 gallons per week from two restaurants, two skating rinks, and one cafe. So, about ten weeks for 250 gallons. It's enough to meet our heating needs and run the International Harvester (diesel tractor). Yes, it really does smell like french fries when it runs (Heatheron40 says it's like a carnival.)

So... do I now have to stop at all the Starbucks and grocery stores for UCG and rotten vegetables? Or are all the pine tags and chicken poop enough??

**Fun biodiesel fact: Burning biodiesel adds no net CO2 to the air...unlike fossil fuels. With bio, the carbon released by burning it was absorbed by the oilseed crops last year to make it. A one-year carbon cycle!

You got it covered I think. Keep the pile hot, and I bet that stuff disappears in nuthin flat.

The whle biodiesel thing is fascinating to me. You got in at the right time. As more folks get in, the sources will dry up (competition). With just used cooking oil, it will solve a small % of the energy issue for society, but will solve a huge % for folks that have the gumption (I had another word there) to take the leap. Too cool!

I have a goofy question for ya'll. Since your wife is an artist and glycerin is combustible (combustable?) could she use the glycerin to make a 'product' to sell to local stores? That way you could make a profit. I've seen people use glycerin type stuff to make soap and firestarters for home fireplaces. Here's a link to a website I've seen about making pinecone firestarters. Just an idea to consider.
Have fun!

Here is a link that might be useful: PineCone FireStarters with

I have thought about it, but I'm getting to the point where we have to make decisions about time....:(
Our house is pre-civil war and is slowing being gutted, with 2 active kids and a job, not much time left. I have checked with local crafts people and they told me to "compost it" not refined enough for them....

Thanks though! It's sad when I can't give it away.
So, my compost will benefit instead. Plus it's 75 X 4 = way toooo much!

Heather,

I think that glycerin, like sugar or dried molasses, will count as a "brown" in your compost, and it will need a matching amount of "green" or nitrogen-containing material to balance the biochemical composting reaction.

MM

MM,

Thanks, Hubbie and I were just talking about that and how were we going to get all the browns required- Problem solved.

I mow about an acre of grass a week, so we were wondering how we could come up with more browns... Hubbie was clutching his ratty T-shirts and guarding his drawers for dear life yesterday!!!

Thanks,
Heather

in the "brown green" mix, where is horse manure? I have to deal with the by-product of 40 horses and was wondering if my biodiesel glycerine can go into the pile?