Division 2 Processing method

Biodiesel production shall be carried out according to the following processing standards:

1. (a)

   Unless fish oil or rendered fat are used which have been produced in accordance with Sections VIII or XII of Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004, respectively, the fat fraction derived from animal by-products must be first processed using:

   1. (i)

      in the case of Category 1 or 2 materials, processing method 1 (pressure sterilisation) as set out in Chapter III; and

   2. (ii)

      in the case of Category 3 materials, any of the processing methods 1 to 5 or processing method 7 or, in the case of material derived from fish, processing methods 1 to 7 as set out in Chapter III;

2. (b)

   The processed fat must then be processed further using one of the following methods:

   1. (i)

      a process whereby the processed fat must be separated from the protein and in the case of fat from ruminant origin, insoluble impurities in excess of 0,15 % by weight must be removed, and the processed fat must be subsequently submitted to esterfication and transesterfication.

      However, esterfication is not required for processed fat derived from Category 3 material. For esterfication the pH must be reduced to less than 1 by adding sulphuric acid (H₂SO₄) or an equivalent acid and the mixture must be heated to 72 °C for at least two hours during which it must be intensely mixed.

      Transesterfication must be carried out by increasing the pH to about 14 with potassium hydroxide or with an equivalent base at 35 °C to 50 °C for at least 15 minutes. Transesterfication shall be carried out twice under the conditions described in this point using a new base solution. This process must be followed by refinement of the products including vacuum distillation at 150 °C, leading to biodiesel;

   2. (ii)

      a process using equivalent process parameters authorised by the competent authority.