Kebondalem Village, Pemalang Regency — Who would have thought that used cooking oil, which is usually discarded as waste, could now be turned into beautiful and fragrant aromatherapy candles? This creative idea came from Rifa Aghniya Nabila, a student from the Thematic Community Service Program (KKNT) Team 163 of Diponegoro University, who encouraged residents of Kebondalem Village to process used cooking oil waste into marketable products. The activity was held on August 7, 2025, at the Family Empowerment and Welfare Association (PKK) meeting at Mrs. Mulyati’s house, attended by enthusiastic residents listening to a presentation on the utilization of used cooking oil. “Usually, it’s just thrown away. Oh, it turns out it can be made into such beautiful aromatherapy candles,” said one resident while observing the sample aromatherapy candles being shown.
The production of aromatherapy candles begins by filtering used cooking oil using a filter cloth and activated charcoal to remove impurities and rancid odors. The clean oil is then mixed with stearic acid, colored, and infused with essential oils such as vanilla, jasmine, or citrus. After being poured into molds and fitted with wicks, the mixture is left to solidify. The result is an aromatherapy candle with an attractive color and a soothing aroma. This activity also received guidance and support from field supervisors, Mrs. Sri Risdhiyanti Nuswantari, S.Tr.T., M.T and Dr. Ir. Fahmi Arifan, S.T., M.Eng., M.M., IPM., ASEAN Eng., who constantly encouraged students to come up with simple yet useful innovations for the community. This innovation not only helps reduce pollution caused by the disposal of used oil but also opens up opportunities for home-based businesses. The production process is simple, and the production costs are relatively low. Aromatherapy candles are popularly used for decoration, gifts, or room fresheners. Through creativity and environmental awareness, this KKNT program demonstrates that simple ideas can have a significant positive impact. Used cooking oil, which was once considered useless, can now be transformed into aromatherapy candles as a value-added and environmentally friendly product.
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