Not many people know that we can turn used cooking oil into bar soap! The quality of bar soap made from used cooking oil is not inferior to factory-made soap. In addition to saving the earth from environmental damage, making bar soap from used cooking oil can also reduce domestic spending.To make bar soap, prepare filtered cooking oil, caustic soda, water, fragrance, and food coloring. Pour water into a container and sprinkle caustic soda into the water, then stir gently. Let the water cool. Next, add the cooking oil little by little and stir again for about 10-15 minutes until the ingredients are evenly distributed and thicken. Add fragrance and food coloring then pour into soap molds. Wait until it hardens. When ready, the soap can be used for bathing or washing clothes.
Besides bar soap, used cooking oil can also be used to make scented candles. Making your own scented candles has its additional benefits as you can choose the shape and scents based on your preference. In addition, scented candles made from used cooking oil can also be sold. Interesting, right?Making scented candles from used cooking oil is quite easy. First, purify the used cooking oil using sugar cane bagasse for two days. After that, pour the candle powder and liquid fragrance of your preference. Stir and pour the wax into a glass or fireproof biscuit tin lid. Finally, place wicks inside as the wax cools. Your scented candles are now ready to add fragrance to your home!
If you don't have time to recycle your used cooking oil, don't worry! You can channel it to the right party to be repurposed so that the used cooking oil is not wasted and does not pollute the environment. One of them is Beli Jelantah, a social enterprise that connects used cooking oil owners with biodiesel companies. Owners of used cooking oil can collect a minimum of 10 liters of oil and contact the Beli Jelantah team to come and buy the oil for IDR2,000 to IDR4,000 per liter. Then, Beli Jelantah will deliver the purchased oil to a certified biodiesel company for further processing.Biodiesel is a fuel source for diesel engines consisting of a mixture of mono-alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids that can be obtained from renewable sources, including palm oil. Despite being governed by policy instruments, the environmental sustainability of palm oil-based biodiesel is still a matter of debate. Used cooking oil from palm oil is then used as an alternative to create sustainable biodiesel.“In 2020, we discovered that more than 525,000 liters of potential used cooking oil were wasted every month in Jakarta. That's a huge and scary number, considering the serious effects of the disposal of used cooking oil on the environment. Through Beli Jelantah, we have managed to collect more than 180,000 liters of used cooking oil from hundreds of hotels, restaurants, and the food industry, as well as from thousands of people in Jakarta, Depok, Bekasi, and Tangerang, to be delivered to partner biodiesel companies with International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) certificates," said Beli Jelantah CEO Faris Razanah Zharfan.Bank DBS Indonesia appreciates Beli Jelantah’s initiative and its commitment to realizing a sustainable environment. “In addition to grants and various mentoring programs, Bank DBS Indonesia through DBS Foundation supports the growth and development of social enterprises in Indonesia, among other things through collaboration with Beli Jelantah. At Bank DBS Indonesia, we motivate our employees to support New and Renewable Energy (EBT) by collecting used cooking oil from their households to be subsequently purchased and delivered to biodiesel companies by the Beli Jelantah team. This is in line with our mission to Recycle more, Waste less by inviting people to participate in reducing waste in Indonesia starting with simple things,” said Head of Group Strategic Marketing & Communications, PT Bank DBS Indonesia, Mona Monika.Managing used cooking oil is a wise way to save the earth from environmental damage. It takes more than just individual efforts as it requires collective awareness and real action from all levels of society so that the initiative can run well. It's never too late to start making a positive impact. Let's manage used cooking oil wisely without throwing it away.
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About DBSDBS is a leading financial services group in Asia with a presence in 18 markets, headquartered and listed in Singapore. DBS is in the three key Asian axes of growth: Greater China, Southeast Asia and South Asia. The bank's "AA-" and "Aa1" credit ratings are among the highest in the world.Recognised for its global leadership, DBS has been named “World’s Best Bank” by Euromoney, “Global Bank of the Year” by The Banker and “Best Bank in the World” by Global Finance. The bank is at the forefront of leveraging digital technology to shape the future of banking, having been named “World’s Best Digital Bank” by Euromoney, and “Most Innovative in Digital Banking” in the world by The Banker. In addition, DBS has been accorded the “Safest Bank in Asia” award by Global Finance for 13 consecutive years from 2009 to 2021.DBS provides a full range of services in consumer, SME, and corporate banking. As a bank born and bred in Asia, DBS understands the intricacies of doing business in the region’s most dynamic markets. DBS is committed to building lasting relationships with customers, and positively impacting communities through supporting social enterprises, as it banks the Asian way. It has also established a SG50 million foundation to strengthen its corporate social responsibility efforts in Singapore and across Asia.With its extensive network of operations in Asia and emphasis on engaging and empowering its staff, DBS presents exciting career opportunities. For more information, please visit www.dbs.com.
