Many types of seeds and nuts can be processed to provide oil and oil presses to convert into biodiesel. In the U.S., oil is processed from large scale oil presses seed industry. However, small-scale oil seeds are popular in other parts of the world and is also available for sale in the United States. The use of small-scale oil press seed are becoming more popular in the United States as more people interested in producing oil for conversion into biofuels for personal business, their small. The oil screw press can be used for a variety of seeds, such as rapeseed (the most commonly used oil seed in Europe), sunflower seed, cottonseed, and even poppy seed.

The oil screw press has a rotating screw which forces the seeds under pressure through a capped cylinder. The seed meal is pressed out in cake or flake form depending on the oil press model. The oil drips out from wholes or slots in the cylinder of the seed oil press. The temperature and pressure can be adjusted for different seed types.

Once the oil is collected from the oil press, it needs to be chemically processed. Biodiesel comes from oils that contain triglycerides, or fatty acid chains joined by a glycerine molecule. A catalyst is used to remove the glycerine molecules and then combine the fatty acids with alcohol, thus making esters, or biofuel. The alcohol used in this process can be pure methanol or ethanol. Methanol is the easiest and preferred substance, especially for the individual maker. Making biodiesel can be a dangerous enterprise as the process employs poisonous and flammable chemicals, so one needs to take precautions and follow the correct process.

This catalyst is usually used to separate the glycerine from the molecular chain fatty acids in the oil after the oil is extracted from the press as lye or potassium hydroxide (KOH). However, lye is extremely caustic and hazardous to users and the environment. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) can also be used but also is ineffective and caustic. Potassium, or potassium chloride, was found to be just as effective as alkaline solution, but not as potentially harmful to users. Potassium is also kinder to the environment, because it is biodegradable. Both methanol and potassium can be easily and cost savings obtained.

One of the top concerns of chemical companies is consumer safety and satisfaction. As more people began ‘going green,’ a manufacturer of chemicals have to change the way they do business. When the consumers who purchase the products made from the chemicals want safer manufacturing processes and practices that conserve the environment, companies have launched with new techniques to ensure that their company remains a leader in the industry. One way companies try to maintain customer loyalty is by providing a general chemical-related education to the average consumer.

Explaining Chemical Free
More consumers are looking for dry cleaners that use less solvent, household cleaners that don’t contain harsh ingredients, and food and clothing products that use organic materials or ingredients without a lot of processing. But some consumers are being tricked into believing that there is such a thing as a chemical-free product. To help alleviate this misconception, the industry likes to point out that everything we use, touch, and wear has some form of compound associated with it. Water is made up of hydrogen and oxygen molecules, making it a chemical. Table salt is too, but it’s used in many products. So when a product or company advertises that they use chemical-free products, what they’re really saying is that they use naturally occurring ingredients as opposed to synthetic chemicals.

Synthetic components can be reproduced chemicals that often occur naturally in the environment. Pharmaceutical companies often use ones that mimic a naturally occurring option. The reason manufacturers recreate it is to remove any impurities and allow the chemical to be as pure as possible for the greatest effect. This is especially important in medications used to treat serious diseases.

Regulations and Studies
To keep up with consumer demand for environmentally friendly chemicals, the chemical industry is heavily regulated. In the UK, the Chemical Industries Association uses a Responsible Care Programme to study, regulate, and maintain industry standards. The chemical processes used today take into consideration the effects on the environment, from how the chemical affects the product it produces to how excess chemicals are disposed. If any new chemicals or chemical processes are brought to the industry, they are heavily tested and regulated before being distributed to consumers. The study of chemicals and their toxicity has allowed chemical companies to not only improve how chemicals affect the environment, but help reduce any toxic effects felt by the body.