Nicosia: In Cyprus, scientists have enlisted schoolchildren to help tackle a significant global issue by recycling used cooking oil into biofuel. The “Tiganokinisi” initiative, which translates to “frying pan movement,” has gained international praise for its innovative approach.
The project operates through a caravan that visits schools, performing scientific experiments while encouraging children to collect used cooking oil from their homes. Once gathered, the oil is filtered and sold to be transformed into biodiesel. The initiative aims to address the global problem of millions of litres of used cooking oil being discarded each year, often clogging drains, causing landfill fires, and contaminating groundwater.
“The logistics are huge to collect this half-litre of cooking oil from (each of) our houses,” said Xenia Loizidou, chair of the AKTI Project and Research Centre, a local NGO dedicated to environmental education and coordinating the collection of the oil. “We came up with this concept where the schools become hubs of collection.”
The proceeds from selling the filtered oil are distributed among the participating schools, with children having a say in which green initiatives receive the funds. Over 550,000 euros ($572,935) have been allocated for various projects, including photovoltaic panels for schools, water fountains, and aromatic gardens.
Backed by the Cypriot Ministry of Education, the initiative became part of the national curriculum in 2018 and now engages over 80,000 schoolchildren annually. It has received awards from the European Commission for being one of the EU’s best practices in social innovation and from the European education body GENE for exemplifying excellence in global education.
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The project gained additional momentum in 2021 when U.S. energy giant Chevron stepped in to fully finance the caravan’s costs. The initiative, which employs young scientists, has now visited over 500 schools.
“We want to be a positive partner in any of the communities we operate in… We quickly realized this was a great fit for us,” said Kristian Svendsen, Chevron regional manager for Egypt and Cyprus.
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Out of an estimated 2,000 tonnes of domestic cooking oil used annually in Cyprus, about 10% is now being collected for recycling, according to Loizidou.
“We want the children to know waste is not waste. Waste has value, and this is the whole concept of a circular economy,” Loizidou emphasized.
