The initiative aims to raise awareness among society and promote socio-environmental education among students

This Monday (7), about 300 students from three municipal schools in Itapema will be involved in collecting used cooking oil for recycling. They will participate in the ranking of the Solidarity Oil project launched by Conasa Águas de Itapema, Facci (Fundação Ambiental Água Costeira de Itapema), Rotary Club Itapema Costa Verdes Mares, Apae Itapema, and the Municipal Department of Education.

From August 7 to December 7, students will be tasked with raising awareness among families to separate used cooking oil into sealed containers for four months. The classes with the highest collection will be awarded monthly, and the school that has registered the largest amount of oil for recycling will receive a computer for pedagogical use.

All the oil collected will be removed from the schools by the Rotary Club and sent to an industry that uses the waste to manufacture biodiesel, glycerin, and cleaning products. The entire amount received will be forwarded as a donation to Apae de Itapema. 

The project aims to raise community awareness about the correct disposal of cooking oil after use and promote socio-environmental awareness actions among municipal education students. Among the awards to students are visits to the Oceanic Aquarium, Unipraias Park, and Morretes Sewage Treatment Plant. The schools involved in the action are Bento Elói in Morretes, Educar in Meia Praia, and Maria Linhares in Alto São Bento.

Incorrect disposal of used cooking oil causes problems in sewage systems and contaminates rivers, lakes, and oceans. One liter of oil is estimated to contaminate up to 25 thousand liters of water. In addition, the decomposition of used cooking oil in improper disposal sites can produce greenhouse gases with consequences on climate change and global warming.