Other Industrial Applications

In addition to cooking oil, alternative fuel and animal feed, companies are exploring other uses for canola oil and meal from tires to plastics and adhesives.

Canola oil provides a green alternative to items traditionally made with petroleum or its by-products. For example, canola oil is used in plasticizers that make the rubber in tires softer and more flexible, particularly in freezing weather. These tires better perform better on icy and snowy roads. As well, canola oil is being used to make bioplastics.

Another potential new use for canola oil is in tape and glue. Researchers have developed a patent-pending, canola oil-based adhesive that replaces adhesives containing toxic chemicals. It’s even cheaper to make than conventional glue.

Read about entrepreneurs finding alternative uses for oil in the September/October 2014 issue of U.S. Canola Digest.