On Sunday (21/07/2024), UNDIP Team II KKN Students carried out educational activities on processing used cooking oil into aromatherapy candles in Dalangan Hamlet, Dalangan Village, Tawangsari District, Sukoharjo Regency, Central Java. This activity was attended by PKK mothers from Dalangan Village as participants. This program aims to reduce the use of used cooking oil waste for a healthy environment.
Used cooking oil is used cooking oil that has been used to fry food. This oil decreases in quality after several uses, often contains food debris, undergoes oxidation, and is contaminated with dangerous compounds such as acrylamide and trans fatty acids. Using used cooking oil can increase health risks such as heart disease, cancer and digestive disorders.
Apart from health risks, used cooking oil can also have a negative impact on the environment if disposed of carelessly. Disposing of used cooking oil into drains can clog pipes and pollute soil and water. Indonesia is one of the largest exporters of used cooking oil to several European countries. Nationally, the potential for used cooking oil production can reach 1.2 million kiloliters/year, according to TRACTion Energy Asia in 2023.
Using used cooking oil from cooking to make aromatherapy candles is a creative effort to process household waste. Apart from reducing the negative impact on the environment, used cooking oil that is recycled into aromatherapy candles can provide benefits as an alternative environmentally friendly product, reducing household waste and as an economic potential.
This activity began with an explanation of the tools and materials that will be used to make aromatherapy wax as well as an explanation of the contents of the materials used, delivered by UNDIP Team II KKN students from the Industrial Chemical Engineering Technology study program. Then, the event continued with a demonstration of making aromatherapy candles and explain each step by step. It starts with collecting used cooking oil from each house and the used cooking oil is clarified using bleaching earth and filtered.
Once the used cooking oil is clear, enter the process of making aromatherapy candles using stearic acid (stearin), oil coloring powder and essential oil. Heat the used cooking oil then add stearic acid, then turn off the stove and add the coloring powder and essential oil. Then, tie a mattress thread to the stick above the container in the candle container, then pour the liquid wax into the container, wait 30-40 minutes until the wax hardens and the aromatherapy candle is ready to be used.
It is hoped that this KKN program can enable people to better utilize used cooking oil waste into products that can be reused and have useful value. [Contributor : Alifa Nur Shabrina]
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