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Dispose of it correctly or recycle cooking oil and avoid contamination of thousands of liters of water

Everyone knows, or should know, that edible oil, commonly called cooking oil, is recycled. But there are still many questions out there: how to dispose of it, why can't we throw it in the sink or manholes? What types of cooking oil? What can we do with used cooking oil? How to store it?

First, let's pay attention to some differentiations and basic information. Oils are formed by water-insoluble substances (lipids). There is not much difference between oil and fat - the only one that exists, according to the National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA), is related to temperature: at 25°C, vegetable oil is liquid and fat is solid.

The classification between virgin oil, extra virgin (olive oil, coconut oil) and crude oil (from soybeans, corn, sunflower) is related to the extraction and purification processes of these vegetable oils. Extra virgin or virgin oils only need filtration to remove solid particles after the pressing process (which removes the oil from the seed, fruit or leaf); on the other hand, the crude oil is extracted using a solvent and goes through many other phases to be ready.

Animal oils and fats can be obtained through crushing, high temperatures and pressure.

Hydrogenated vegetable fats are obtained through hydrogenation processes to increase their shelf life.

Oil cannot go down the drain

All types of oil presented above cannot be destined for sinks, drains, drains or sidewalk guides because they negatively impact your home's plumbing and also pollute the water, in addition to contributing to the death of living beings.

In the plumbing of homes, there is equipment called a grease trap that stores grease from the sinks. The grease box is usually made of PVC plastic or concrete. Incorrect disposal of used cooking oil in the sink will cause clogging of the pipes and accumulation of grease in the aforementioned box. When this happens, it takes a laborious process to clean it, in addition to carrying out the same process in the plumbing. Therefore, avoid having to do this work by not throwing away the used cooking oil in the sink (learn a recipe to unclog the drain in a sustainable way).

The other part of the discarded oil that went through the pipes and was not retained in the grease box, reaches the networks that collect domestic sewage. It is possible for the oil to follow two different paths: to a Sewage Treatment Plant (STP), to a river or even the sea. To reach an ETE, the oil mixed with water and other waste must pass through a collection network - in this passage, the oil obstructs the flow of sewage that would go to the ETE. By disposing of oil improperly, you not only damage the structure of your plumbing, you can also cause backflow of sewage to other homes.

When untreated sewage reaches a river, cooking oil mixed with sewage will pollute that water body, but this depends on the sewage load the river supports. The National Council for the Environment (CONAMA) presents a resolution that establishes limits for the release of vegetable oils and animal fats in water bodies receiving sewage (effluent) of up to 50 milligrams per liter (mg/L), starting from this value. , the frying oil pollutes another 25,000 liters of water, which is already a very high value. The impact caused by the oil is the reduction of dissolved oxygen in the water, through the activity of microorganisms that degrade the oil and at the same time consume a lot of oxygen - this causes the death of aquatic fauna.

So what to do with cooking oil?

After using the old frying oil (preferably in small amounts), you can store it in a PET bottle. Use a funnel to facilitate the entry of oil into the bottle. As you use the oil, store it this way and remember to always close the bottles tightly to avoid leaks, also keeping out of reach of children and pets that may be attracted by the smell of the oil or by simple curiosity. After filling some PET bottles, look for companies and NGOs specialized in this type of selective collection, as well as voluntary delivery points to dispose of your oil correctly.

The amount of oil stored will vary depending on where you are disposing of it. Therefore, try to find out the place where you will be discarding, so that you can obtain the information on how many liters are needed to carry out the delivery. Find here the stations for correct disposal of cooking oil closest to your home.

Remember that 50 mg of cooking oil causes more than 25,000 liters of water to be polluted. Even if you use a small amount of cooking oil, it is important to store it in the PET bottle, not discard it in the sink, drain or manhole.

There is also the possibility of storing a certain amount of oil (preferably in a PET bottle) and making sustainable homemade soap. Watch the video below to learn how to make soap with cooking oil:

Properly discarded oil is used for the production of biodiesel, soap, oil paints, putty and other products. This preserves raw material, encourages recycling and prevents more liters of oil from being disposed of incorrectly.

So, if you don't use your used cooking oil to make soap, help preserve the ecosystem, dispose of it correctly. Thus, you eliminate the problem of an item that, despite being biodegradable, is a pollutant and a great contaminant, and give it a new use, preventing it from causing health risks. Sustainability thanks.