The initiative seeks to make the population aware of the correct disposal and reuse of waste

Since 2020, Conasa Sanesalto, a sewage treatment operation in Salto, in the interior of São Paulo, has launched a campaign to encourage the population to bring the cooking oil used in the company to be processed and give rise to soap stones for donation to community.

In these three years, the concessionaire has produced around 3,000 soapstones for donation, an amount that can be significantly increased with the awareness of the population. “Recycling used oil is fundamental so that the waste is not disposed of in the sewage collection network, causing clogging of pipes, proliferation of insects and rodents and damage to environmental sustainability”, points out Akira Kuriyama, superintendent of operations at Conasa Sanesalto.

The incorrect disposal of cooking oil is one of the biggest contaminants of rivers. One liter of incorrectly discarded oil pollutes around 25,000 liters of water. National data indicate that only 2% of cooking oil is treated in Brazil. The accumulation of fat in the collection networks can cause the pipe to break and create problems with the return of the effluent to homes or public roads.

“Separating used oil for recycling is a habit that needs to be consolidated in the population. Our initiative aims to contribute to this awareness and show how much the practice brings immediate return to families by reducing costs with cleaning products. And that is our objective with the campaign, to show the environmental and financial benefits to provoke practical and immediate changes”, highlights Kuriyama.