UKRA - The United Kingdom Renderers' Association

Animal fats and tallow have been raw ingredients for soap manufacture for centuries and continue to be so. Soaps produced from animal fats have a harder texture than those produced from vegetable oils and the use of tallow in soap manufacture reduces the pressure on sources of vegetable oil such as palm oil. Only tallow from Category 3 raw materials is used in soap manufacture.

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Fats and oils from Category 3 materials and the derivatives of these fats and oils are used in the pharmaceutical industries. Because of their properties these materials are often used in products that are formulated for use to improve skin conditions.

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Fats and oils from Category 3 materials are used in the production of animal feeds. They provide structure, flavour and nutritional balance to compounded feeds.

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All grades of tallow can be used as liquid fuel in place of fossil fuel oils or vegetable oils. However, tallow from Category 1 animal by-products is principally used for this purpose since tallow from other categories (and especially Category 3) has other commercial uses. The calorific value of tallow is just over 90% that of fuel oil and minimal modification of combustion equipment is needed to burn it. Direct emissions from tallow combustion in the form of particulates and sulphur dioxide (an 'acid gas') are considerably lower for tallow combustion than for fossil fuel oil combustion. Because tallow is a renewable resource burning it in place of fossil fuels reduces overall greenhouse gas emissions.

Meat and bone meal is also used as a renewable fuel. In some instances it can be added to existing solid fuel sources such as pulverised coal but it can also be used in its own right to provide the energy for power production. As with tallow fuel oil the use of MBM in this way reduces the use of fossil fuels.

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Fats and oils from Category 2 and 3 materials are valuable raw materials in the chemical industry. Derivatives from these materials are used in the manufacture of products ranging from paints to disinfectants and cleaning products.

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As well as being burned directly as a renewable fuel, tallow can be used to manufacture diesel fuel (biodiesel). This production and use is a key element in allowing the UK and Europe to achieve a target of 5.75% of all road transport fuels to be biofuels by 2010.

Biofuels can also be produced from vegetable oils. However, setting aside land to grow crops for biofuel production takes that land out of food production and the subsequent pressure on crop prices increases prices of basic foods (especially grains).

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Category 3 protein meals and oils are used in the manufacture of pet foods. The meal is a valuable source of protein and contains many of the minerals that are needed in pet food formulations. The oils and fats from Category 3 rendering are used to add balance and flavour to the final pet food formulation.

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Bonemeal has long been used as a fertiliser with its 20-30% phosphate content and slow nutrient release making it an ideal source of nourishment for bulb plants. Protein and bonemeal from Category 3 rendering are used as fertilisers under EU fertiliser rules.

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MBM (protein meal) is used extensively as a substitute fuel in cement plants in Europe. Extremely high temperatures of 1,450 to 1,500°C are achieved which effectively destroys and combusts all organic matter. There is no residual material for disposal because all of the inorganic residual from the MBM is incorporated into the clinker from the kiln and is ground up, with additives, to form the product. The MBM reduces the need for fossil fuels in the kiln and is reported to give better and more consistent process combustion characteristics.

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