Oil is one of the most common products that we can find in the kitchen and, incredible as it seems, it is a very polluting product if it is not properly. Despite this, you can still find many people who do not know what to do with used kitchen oil. There are several ways in which we will be able to undo this oil and even be able to reuse it for other types of uses.
In any case, the last thing to do is pour it with the drain since, as we will see below, it entails serious environmental and hygiene problems. If you want to know a little more about What to do with used kitchen oil And what are its effects if we do not manage it as it should be done continues to read green ecology and we tell you.
Why cooking oil contaminates
One of the things that can surprise the most when talking about cooking oil is that it is a polluting product. Keep in mind that it is a product that we use in our diet, so, in principle, it seems that it is a natural product and that it should not have negative effects on the environment.
Although the oil is a natural product, it also constitutes a product that It can be very harmful to the environment. This is mainly because, as we all know, water and oil are not mixed. This means that when the oil reaches the rivers or the seas, it is floating on the surface, which entails that the water cannot be oxygenated correctly. This It affects both the flora and the fauna of the ecosystems aquatic, which end up dying drowned.
In addition, in the same way that avoids the correct oxygenation of water, also prevents the passage of solar rayswhich prevents aquatic plants such as algae from performing photosynthesis, which ends up leading to the death of aquatic flora and, consequently, also of the fauna associated with it.
Likewise, in the event that the oil falls on earth, the effects will be similar, since it will prevent the oxygenation of it, as well as the free circulation of water and, in a short time, that land will become completely sterile by not being suitable for the growth of any type of plant.
On the other hand, in addition to supposing a problem for the correct oxygenation of the waters and the fertility of the Earth, oils are also a type of sticky substances that adhere very easily to any surface. This has a negative effect on any environment in which the used cooking oil is dousted, both in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and in the pipes themselves, which end up blocked because of the oil that acts as glue and forms a waste paste and dirt that remains attached to the looks of the pipes and that, often, must be replaced by new ones.
What to do with used oil
Seen all of the above, it is clear that used cooking oil should never be thrown out of the drain. So what can be done with him?
Turn it into solid
An available option is to buy a product specifically formulated for convert used kitchen oil into solid. These products are usually sold in most supermarkets. A tablespoon of the product is mixed with the portion of excess oil indicated in the container and, in a few minutes, a dry and solid mass is formed that can be thrown without problem.
Take it to a clean point to recycle it
On the other hand, a simpler option will consist of storing used oil in a container And, when we have a considerable amount, take it to a recycling point. These recycling points can be found in some cities next to glass or cardboard recycling containers. However, in case of not having an oil recycling container nearby, you can always go to the nearest clean point, whether it is a fixed clean point or a mobile one. If you want to know where to find the clean point closest to your home, the safest thing is that on the website of the City Council of your town figures all the necessary information.
Recycle used oil at home
However, beyond these ways of getting rid of the used kitchen oil, there are also more creative ones and that allow us to give out this polluting waste giving it a new useful life:
Make soap
It is the most traditional way to reuse. To do this, it will be enough to mix the used oil with a portion of caustic soda and some water according to the traditional recipe. It is a simple but effective to take advantage of the oil and, at the same time, of get a natural soap that will help us wash our clothes or hands. In the following article of Ecologiaverde we explain how to make homemade soap without caustic soda.
Oil candles
Another way to give out to the used oil is to use it to make oil candles. In this case, it is best to mix used kitchen oil With a few drops of essential oilfor example of lavender, which will get a pleasant smell.
Make biofuel
Finally, we can get in touch with a company that manufactures biofuels and that can be interested in collecting this oil, since you can transform into a useful fuel For some transport vehicles.
If you want to read more articles similar to What to do with used kitchen oilwe recommend that you enter our recycling and waste management category.
