What do you do with used cooking oil? Option 1: play in the sink drain. Option 2: perform the collection and send it to the collection points.
If you chose option 2, congratulations! That is the way. But if your option is still number 1, then let’s talk for a while and understand why it is so important to dispose of cooking oil correctly.
Why is it important to dispose or reuse used cooking oil?
Protects the environment
Protecting the environment is the first and most important reason for you to start reusing or disposing of cooking oil correctly.
And do you know why? Cooking oil is extremely polluting, capable of contaminating soil, water, plants and animals.
In water, the oil creates a barrier that prevents the passage of light and oxygen, compromising all aquatic life, including plants, fish and microorganisms. On a larger scale, oil can reach groundwater contaminating natural drinking water reserves.
In the soil, cooking oil prevents the penetration of rainwater, which, consequently, can result in flooding and flooding.
When cooking oil ends up in landfills and landfills, it hinders the process of decomposing waste and contributes to the increase in methane gas, a toxic substance that is directly related to the effects of global warming.
Reduces water treatment costs
In Brazil, the resolution No. 430 of the National Environment Council (CONAMA) provides that the maximum limit of cooking oil in the waters must be 50 mg / L. More than that, the level of pollution grows absurdly, reaching more than 25 thousand liters of water.
And what’s the problem with that? Water treatment becomes more expensive and you pay the bill in the end. Another problem is that the presence of oil in the water harms the supply network and treatment plants, making maintenance more frequent, as well as the replacement of parts and equipment, making the process even more costly for the whole of society.
With the correct destination, water and sewage treatment costs decrease, benefiting the entire population.
Domestic economy
Little by little, all the oil that is thrown down the drain ends up clogging the pipes and damaging the domestic water and sewage network.
Result: you will need to spend money to make all the necessary repairs, not to mention all the inconvenience that a work of this type can bring to your life and the life of your family.
How to reuse cooking oil
Now that you have plenty of reasons not to throw cooking oil in the sink, see the tips to help you reuse this oil in the best possible way.
Save for new fries
You do not need to discard cooking oil after first frying. It is safe and reliable to reuse it for at least two or three more fries, especially in the case of foods that do not leave residues in the oil, as is the case with potatoes, for example.
To do this reuse is very simple. Wash a two-liter pet bottle and wait for it to dry completely. Then, with the help of a funnel, pour all the oil into it. If you notice small particles in the oil, use a sieve to filter.
Then just reuse this oil as needed.
Make soap
Another classic way to reuse used cooking oil is by making bar soap.
If it is prepared in the right way, it has no odor and the cleaning power is very good.
To make soap with used cooking oil you can use any type of oil, just be careful to pass it through a sieve to eliminate the residues.
Below is a video tutorial explaining how to make soap with used cooking oil. The process is very simple, check it out:
Make candles
Did you know that it is also possible to reuse the cooking oil used to make candles? That’s right!
The process is also simple, but requires care, as well as soap, since it is necessary to handle substances that can cause accidents.
See how to make candles with used oil in the following video:
Cooking oil collection: how and where to do it
But if for one reason or another you are unable to reuse used cooking oil, then the way is to dispose of the substance correctly.
For this, you will need a clean, dry pet bottle to store the used oil.
Remember to strain to eliminate waste. When the bottle is full, look for a collection point near your home.
Nowadays, even churches, schools and health centers receive oil donations, which are later sent to institutions or companies that recycle. Another way of disposing is to take the oil to a collectors’ NGO.
Where does all this oil go?
Used cooking oil is used in a number of ways. It can become soap or candle in social projects, where the income collected is reverted in favor of solidarity campaigns.
But not only that. Used oil is worth money for industries, as it is a raw material for the manufacture of different products, from detergents to animal feed, including biodiesel, putty, resin and glycerin.
This reuse of cooking oil is doubly valuable for the environment. First, because it eliminates contamination and pollution of water and soil. Second reason, because reuse reduces the need for the extraction and production of new raw materials, contributing to the preservation of natural resources.
So let’s recycle that used oil from your house?
