Faced with the objective of carrying out environmental education campaigns and arousing the attention of Sao Bernardo do Campo´s residents to the correct disposal of used cooking oil, in 2019 a cooperation agreement between the Municipality of Sao Bernardo do Campo and the Triangulo Institute aiming at recycling used cooking oil was signed. The collection execution began with the installation of the used cooking oil voluntary delivery points. Before the installation, the awareness and training of the team involved in the receiving activity was carried out; in addition, it is important after the collection to pack, transport, and dispose of the oil.
TopIi- Used Cooking Oil Discard
According to Oil World, Brazil produces about 9 billion liters (2.4 billion gallons) of vegetable oils per year. Of this volume, about 1/3 are edible oils. Per capita consumption is around 20 liters (5.3 gallons) per year, which results in a production of 3 billion liters (0.8 billion gallons) of oil per year in the country.
If we take into account the amount of used vegetable oils collected in Brazil, we have less than 1% of the total produced, about 6.5 million liters (1.7 million gallons) of used oils. What about the rest? More than 200 million liters (53 million gallons) of used oil per month goes into rivers and lakes, compromising the environment of today and the future.
Today, oil is the major polluter of fresh and salt water in the densely populated regions of Brazil. Noting the generation of a significant amount of waste from used cooking oil, which when discarded inappropriately contaminates soil, water, and causes public health problems, due to environmental pollution (COMPANHIA AMBIENTAL DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO, 2021).
In other words, the oil discarded for example in the kitchen sink, ends up clogging the pipes and demanding chemical products for removal. If the sewage is not well treated, the oil can spread through rivers, settling on the surface and disrupting gas exchange, affecting the entire ecosystem. To give an idea, 1 liter (about 2 pints) of oil discarded in the environment can pollute 25,000 liters (6,600 gallons) of water! Water treatment costs also increase and the solution lies in awareness and oil recycling.