City of De Soto

17 Boyd Street
De Soto, Missouri  63020
Phone 636.586.3326
Back Biodiesel Information

biodiesel production

What is Biodiesel?
Biodiesel is a replacement for petroleum diesel that can be used in virtually any diesel engine without modification.  Biodiesel is produced from a variety of domestically available, renewable sources including vegetable oil, recycled cooking oil and animal fats.  It acts like diesel fuel, but produces fewer harmful emissions, is biodegradable and nontoxic, and is safer to use then diesel fuel.

Disposal of Crude Glycerin must be done properly so that it doesn't harm our valuable resources in our environment. Some of the information that you read and the videos you may have watched on how to make biodiesel, forget to mention the proper disposal of the by-product crude glycerin.

Our City wants to help educate you and all others in our nation, so that we can help insure that you follow the proper procedures if you are making Biodiesel at your home.
The Department of Natural Resources in St Louis and Jefferson City will be a valuable source of information, or you can contact Kevin Warden, Director of Public Works, the phone numbers and the contact names which are listed below.

Contacts
Department of Natural Resources- ask for the Hazardous Waste Unit - (314)-416-2960
City of De Soto - Public Works Department - Kevin Warden - (636) 586-2499
City of De Soto Building Inspector - Mike Hite - (636) 586-3326

The reason for us getting involved is when In August of 2007, the City of De Soto had someone dump Cured Glycerin a by-product of biodiesel into our sanitary sewer system either threw a manhole, our in their own personal sewer drain.
The crude glycerin which entered the City wastewater treatment system caused an oxygen depletion in the  wastewater treatment system and also the receiving stream which the waters are discharged in and removed the oxygen, causing a fish kill of approximately 4000 fish in the stream.

After hundreds of hours online searching why this might have happened to me it was oblivious, the lack of information on the by-product Crude Glycerin. There was so many sites online that had videos of making Biodiesel at home, and most of them had no information about the proper disposal of Crude Glycerin.

So, please understand that you must not dispose of the by-product Crude Glycerin in Storm Drains, Sewer, Landfills, or on the ground. Contact your local DNR, EPA, City Building Inspector or Public Works Director.