These days, the disposal of used cooking oil remains a significant concern not only for households but also for food production businesses. Pouring used cooking oil down the drain can cause severe blockages in the sewage system. Moreover, reusing used cooking oil more than twice not only alters the taste of food but also poses health risks to consumers and increases the risk of cancer. So, what are the correct ways to handle used cooking oil? Let’s explore with ECO OIL in this article!

Avoid pouring used cooking oil into your sink

Most drain clogs, whether in public sewers or household pipes, are caused by fats, oils, and grease (FOG) being poured down the sink after cooking. People often pour used cooking oil down the drain without thinking, because it’s liquid and easy to dispose of, despite the serious problems it can cause.

To grasp how serious this problem is, it’s important to know that fats, oils, and grease are mainly made up of fatty acids and glycerol. When poured down the drain, used cooking oil can undergo hydrolysis, releasing free fatty acids that float on the water’s surface. These acids can bind with calcium found in wastewater, causing a rapid saponification reaction. This creates a solid soap-like substance that clogs drains.

Blocked drains aren’t just unsanitary and smelly—they can also cause water to back up into your home.

Better to pour used cooking oil into glass bottles

An easy way to dispose of leftover oil is by pouring it into a plastic bottle or bag and then tossing it in the trash. But instead of throwing away this valuable resource, you can save the used oil in plastic or glass bottles and give it to reputable collection services. They’ll recycle it into biofuel for sustainable aviation.

This not only helps prevent cooking oil from dirtying the trash and attracting rodents, but it also helps us become more conscious of avoiding careless oil disposal, storing it, and handling it in a more suitable, civilized, and environmentally safe manner.

Additionally, here are some tips for storing used cooking oil:

• Use a strainer to filter out food particles before pouring the oil.
• Let the oil cool down before putting it into a bottle.
• Keep the used oil in a cool, shaded area.

Handling used cooking oil with washing powder

After cooking, you can pour the used cooking oil into a bowl or cup to cool down, then add warm water and stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of detergent (depending on the amount of oil) until the mixture is completely dissolved. You can then safely pour this mixture down the sink without worrying about clogging the drain.

This is possible because powdered detergents have hydrophobic (water-repellent) and hydrophilic (water-attracting) properties. Cooking oil is non-polar, meaning it doesn’t dissolve in a polar substance like water. So, when the oil is mixed with water and detergent, the hydrophobic properties interact with the used cooking oil while the hydrophilic molecules react with the water, creating an emulsion. This emulsion can be poured down the drain without causing blockages.

However, this method can be complex, time-consuming, and wasteful of detergent.

Contacting with used cooking oil collection services:

Currently, there are many informal collectors of used cooking oil on the market, mostly small-scale collectors who buy used oil for profit by reselling it. This practice not only affects food quality but, worse, severely impacts public health.

Therefore, when handling these issues, we need to choose reputable services. ECO OIL is confident and committed to being a trustworthy unit specializing in collecting used cooking oil to recycle it into biofuel, supporting a circular economy and promoting sustainable development towards Vietnam’s Net-zero 2050 goal.

With prestigious international certifications such as ISCC and ISO 9001, ECO OIL will fulfill the mission to protect the environment while also providing profit to households by collecting used cooking oil.

This not only brings convenience and value to the public but also promotes sustainable development, preserving a green future for the future generation!

Properly handling used cooking oil is essential to protect the environment and your health. Applying simple methods such as pouring the oil into plastic bottles or bags, or contacting professional collection services. By doing this, you not only help keep the environment clean and green but also protect the health of your family and the community.