A liter of oil contaminates a thousand liters of water. Vegetable oil is considered to be the main cause of urban water pollution. When it accumulates in the sewers, it clogs the city’s pipes, and floods can even be generated for that reason.
Furthermore, if it ends up reaching rivers and the sea, the oil forms an impermeable film on the surface of the water. In this way, it prevents the passage of oxygen and, therefore, the development of the life of fish and other animals.
For this reason, in the first place, it is important to be aware that you should never throw the oil down the drain. It’s more environmentally friendly to put it in a bottle that’s also going to be thrown away, and throw it away that way.
Even so, this does not imply a solution, since although it will not end up being dumped in the water, the oil will be turned into garbage that will take a long time to degrade, just like the plastic in the bottle.
Recycling and reusing cooking oil is a much more ecological alternative, since finding a new use for it is the only way that it does not end up becoming a polluting waste.
1. Making soaps
Soap is made from fat or oil, which is why it is one of the most effective ways to reuse old oil.
There are procedures to do it at home, although they must be done very carefully because they contain ingredients such as caustic soda, which must be handled with caution.
Another option is to put it together and take it to a sustainable entrepreneur who is recycling it for this purpose.
2. Manufacture biodiesel
Biodiesel is a fuel that is used for engines that run on diesel, but it is much less polluting, since it is made from vegetable oil, and not from fossil fuels.
You can make biodiesel at home with great caution (read how to do it here), or you can also find someone who makes it so you can donate the disused oil and not have to dispose of it.
3. Turn it into candles
Candles or oil lamps are one of the easiest ways to recycle it. You can leave them prepared for a power outage, or use them for a romantic decoration.
You can do them by following a very simple step by step. You only need a container, wire, thick thread and the oil that you want to recycle:
1. Filter the oil very well, especially if it was used for frying.
2. With the wire, make a joint for the wick (it is convenient to wrap the wire around a stick of the same approximate diameter as the thread, remove the stick and bend one end of the wire so that it works as a base).
3. Pass the thread through the joint. On one side they should protrude a few millimeters; on the other, a longer piece.
4. We place the joint with the thread, which will be the wick of the candle, inside the container, and then fill it with oil, leaving the wick protruding.
Another option is to make an oil candle with an orange.
4. Use it in an “industrial” way
The oil that is no longer used for cooking still has many of its properties. It can be used to lubricate parts of different machinery, you can even use it for small repairs like oiling door hinges so they don’t make noise when moving.
Another possible alternative is to use it to grease molds from which you must later take off a material with which you are working.
If it doesn’t work for you, maybe you can find a person, entrepreneur or small company that does need it for their molds or machines.
5. Make homemade paintings
There are two ways to recycle oil into paint. One of them is to look for homemade paint recipes that have it as a component. You will find that, by providing waterproofing, many include it.
Another option is to use it directly to protect wood. Flax oil is usually used for this purpose, but another type of vegetable oil can work in some cases, and leave with a similar finish, although not as resistant.
Beyond these uses, you can think for yourself how else to recycle the oil, remembering its properties: it is waterproof, combustible, and lighter than water. Think about how you can recycle to take care of the planet!