In just three months, the province of Neuquén managed to recover 162,000 liters of used oil, a volume that, if not collected, would have put thousands of liters of water at risk and clogged sewage systems. This figure reveals the positive impact of an effective environmental policy, focused on the circular economy.
Each month, an average of 50,000 liters of mineral oil and 4,000 liters of vegetable oil are collected. These highly polluting residues often end up in the soil, air, or watercourses if not managed properly.
The collection is handled by a private company at no cost to the municipality. The collected oil is stored, transported to Bahía Blanca, and turned into biodiesel, a renewable fuel that replaces conventional diesel.
In this way, the city not only avoids pollution but also turns waste into an energy resource. This model demonstrates that with planning, even a hazardous residue can be reintegrated into a sustainable productive cycle.
Environmental Education Day: the scope of the Recycle Your Used Oil campaign.
Oil, a household waste that can be a resource
The program is mainly aimed at workshops, businesses, and restaurants that generate more than 10 liters of oil per month. But it also includes households: those producing less can take it to transfer centers.
Used oil, when disposed of in pipes, solidifies and blocks drains, causing structural damage and avoidable expenses. Instead, if stored in bottles and delivered to designated points, it turns into clean energy.
This system of collecting and converting used oils consolidates as an efficient ecological solution, depending on citizen collaboration and a public management committed to environmental care.
used oil
A practice aimed at raising awareness
Every year, in Argentina, more than 100 million liters of used vegetable oil are generated, and a large part of that waste ends up contaminating the environment due to inadequate management. However, since 2017, the company DH-SH, based in Capitán Bermúdez (Santa Fe), collects and transforms that oil into biodiesel, an alternative, renewable, and less polluting fuel than fossil fuels.
This action becomes especially relevant on the eve of World Recycling Day, celebrated on May 17 by UNESCO’s initiative to raise awareness about proper waste management. DH-SH’s proposal aims not only to reduce the environmental impact of oil but also to promote a cultural change around recycling.
The campaign is articulated with municipalities, schools, and companies through three main axes: collection in gastronomic establishments, green points for private homes, and an Environmental Education Program aimed at educational institutions.
