Spent Earth

Spent Earth is a solid waste material that is produced due to the bleaching method undertaken as part of the physical refining process in the vegetable oil industry. Bleaching is done to lighten the color of the oil and naturally occurring particles of bleaching earth. The vegetable oil physical refining process involves the degumming of crude vegetable oils such as palm oil to remove gums which is then settled out as soap stock. This lessens the phosphatides in the oil which is then bleached with activated earth to remove Peroxides, residual gums, and soaps that still exist despite the prior separation process. The de-oiled Spent Bleaching Earth is safe for disposal in landfills and can also be used as a fuel in the boilers. Anhydrous clay can be used in cement manufacturing. It can also be used as a soil conditioner as it poses no harm to the soil.