Day of Environmental Education: The oil recycling initiative that trained nearly 5000 children.

Looking ahead to the World Environmental Education Day, on January 26, the goal is to raise awareness from an early age and promote the care of resources.

It is a date aimed at considering the relevance of education as a fundamental tool for this purpose.

In this context, schools play a crucial role, as they are key spaces to educate new generations and promote an active commitment to the environment.

Environmental Education Day: the campaign that goes beyond recycling

The campaign Recycle your used oil. (Photo: press).[/caption>

Among the initiatives in Argentina, for several years now, one that combines vegetable oil recycling with education has been consolidated. It is the “Recycle your used oil” campaign, by the company DH-SH, which managed to raise awareness on a little-discussed topic.

Even since 2017, it has introduced the topic in educational institutions throughout the country.

Among its objectives, the campaign aims to prevent water and soil pollution caused by improper disposal and encourage the active participation of new generations in caring for the environment.

The company, based in the city of Capitán Bermúdez, Santa Fe, specializes in the logistics and sanitation of the oil industry.

The company’s proposal reaches 15 provinces in the country, with three main lines of work:

• Collection and conditioning of used cooking oil from large generators, i.e., gastronomic establishments,
• Installation of green points for small generators
• Implementation of the Environmental Education Program which has gained special relevance in recent years, boosted by the rise of virtuality.

The campaign in education

“With our talks aimed at schools, we seek to raise awareness about the importance of transforming waste into a resource, contributing to the development of a circular economy and strengthening responsible habits from an early age,” stated Antonella Druetta, Environment Manager at DH-SH. 

“The material is didactic, and we work on different activities so that students learn about this process and the importance of giving a second life to vegetable waste,” she added.

It is worth mentioning that the initiative was recognized in December by the Federal Work Awards from the Argentine Advertising Council, for communication with purpose. 

Scope and benefits of the campaign

The educational proposal includes training for Primary and Secondary levels, with downloadable digital material for classroom use. The talks are virtual, free and open to educational institutions throughout the country. 

The didactic material includes an animated short film released by the company in 2021, aimed at younger children through the “Little Big Recyclers“: two environmental superhero kids created to convey the message to the children’s audience.

In numbers

So far, 4802 students from across the country have accessed this training on the life cycle of oil, including 42 from the initial level, 1296 from primary level, and 2540 from secondary level. Of the total, 1203 students were trained in 2024.

Regarding provinces, it reached Buenos Aires, Tierra del Fuego, Misiones, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Mendoza, Entre Ríos, Santiago del Estero, Corrientes, and Salta.

How to register to participate

All schools in the country can register freely and at no cost by writing to [email protected]. For those closer, the program includes guided tours of the plant with the aim of understanding the complete process firsthand. 

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