Personal and institutional names have been removed to protect privacy.
The course "Soap production from waste oils" is a way of learning how to reduce the impact of this waste on surface waters, an opportunity for economic income and a contribution to the prevention of COVID-19.
The COVID-19 pandemic is a reminder that access to safe water and sanitation is a right for all for a healthy life. It is also a reminder that hygiene, particularly the use of soap, is fundamental to the prevention of many diseases, beacuse it inactivates and eliminates the virus through the chemical concepts of hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity: "The way in which hydrophilic substances are added to each other and avoid contact with hydrophobic substances (the so-called hydrophobic effect) makes soap literally dismantle this and many other viruses" (FERNANDES; RAMOS, 2020, p. 151). However, there are cases where access to soap is not easy.
Is it possible to produce hygiene products at home and reduce water pollution at the same time? Yes, household oils are sometimes poured down the drain, contaminating waterways. However, these oils can be converted into soap. In order to produce soap from waste oil as a low cost, low environmental impact product, experts who understand the science behind the production have come together to offer an accessible and open production course.
Interviwer: How did the idea of training in soap production from waste oils come about?
Expert: The idea is not new. In the not too distant past, older people did it, especially those who lived in rural areas. My mother, for example. She used pig fat and ashes from the wood stove. I would say that the course is a rescue of traditions, of knowing how to make soap from generation to generation.
At the institution, we needed to draw women's attention to the conservation of water resources, and several ideas for training courses emerged. It was also during a survey on the washing of domestic water tanks that women asked for training courses to generate income.
I: What is the environmental impact of waste oil discharged into watercourses?
E: Because oil is less dense than water, it remains on the surface of rivers and lakes, preventing light and oxygen from penetrating. This leads to the death of several aquatic species, such as phytoplankton (microscopic algae that live in rivers and oceans and produce oxygen), which depend on light to develop and survive. This can have serious consequences because phytoplankton are at the base of the food chain in aquatic ecosystems, providing food for larger organisms that may also die. They are also thought to produce around 98% of the oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere.
I: How does this course help vulnerable women and society at large during a pandemic?
E: While anyone can do it, this course is particularly aimed at women in situations of economic and social vulnerability, who can make soap for their own use and even sell it in the neighbourhood. The cost of production is not very high and the profit is excellent.
I: This course has already been held in the field. Could you tell us where and what was the impact?
E: The course on artisanal soap production has always been held in Ouro Preto. The main impact has been to get women talking about water conservation. In addition to the soap-making course, they were taught about environmental education and organisational psychology, the curriculum, the importance of self-esteem, etc. So they were also trained to get a job option.
We have a very interesting story of a master's student with experience in pharmacy who used handmade soap-making as a way to reduce the use of antidepressants among women in the town of Presidente Juscelino, a small town where men were leaving for larger cities in search of work and some women were beginning to feel depressed. By making soap, they met, talked during production, earned a small income, started working and reduced their use of the drug.
Another case was the creation of the Associação Mãos in the neighbourhood of Antônio Pereira, one of the oldest villages in Ouro Preto. Characterised by mining and the influx of men hired to work in the mines, women did not have many opportunities. The soap course was very good and allowed us to win the Santander Universidade Solidária prize. With this prize we were able to found the association.
About the online course
The course is divided into 4 modules with videos of the soap and hygiene lessons; entrepreneurship concepts and environment.
It is open and free. It can be accessed through the Youtube channel.
Tatiana is already making her soap
Tatiana decided to take the course because she wanted to learn how to turn waste into something useful. At home, she used to collect and store used oil from the kitchen because there was no way to dispose of it. If it was poured down the pipes, they would quickly become clogged.
"I found two interesting things. Firstly, the method of processing is simple, cheap and turns the oil into a biodegradable waste. Also, the fact that it can be turned into an economic income. I now use it in my house to wash my hands and utensils.
"I think anyone can take the course. It is very interesting and easy to understand. I shared my experience on social networks and it became very well known in my town. So much so that a media outlet interviewed me to share the experience".