With this in mind, Green Waste Selangor (GWS) was founded in 2018 to advocate for the responsible handling of household waste, specifically cooking oil.

Speaking with FMT Lifestyle, founder Dr Maisarah Tajuddin shared that initially, they collected and sold used cooking oil to recycling centres – which would pay up to RM2 per kg – before channelling the proceeds back to the community.

“We started by campaigning in mosques and, later, schools,” she recalled. “We’d ask parents to bring their used cooking oil and we would arrange for a licensed collector to collect it.

“The money would then be used on the school and students’ welfare.”

But Maisarah eventually realised there was a need to come up with a creative way to draw more awareness to their cause. “So we thought, why not offer hands-on workshops and teach the community how to make soaps?”

The 36-year-old explained that this way, participants who signed up for these workshops would firstly be introduced to GWS’s objectives and messages on responsible waste disposal.

And it worked! People – predominantly housewives and working mothers – began joining these classes to learn the process. Afterwards, some of them even headed out to conduct workshops of their own.

“A similar workshop elsewhere would cost you about RM60,” Mairsarah pointed out, “but we only charge around RM15 to cover the cost of materials.”

Happily, some of the GWS members’ children have also learnt to make soaps – all part of the organisation’s goal of inculcating awareness at a young age.

The NGO also holds talks in universities to educate students on their cause, and continues to collaborate with licensed collectors who will come to your doorstep to collect your used cooking oil, which can either be sold or donated.

Soapmaking steps

Recently, FMT Lifestyle had the chance to witness a soapmaking demonstration by GWS member Siti Hawa Zainal.

First, the used cooking oil is filtered to remove all traces of residue. This is to avoid lumps in the final product.

In a separate container, lye – aka sodium hydroxide – is mixed with water until it is fully dissolved. It’s important to use a container that can withstand heat as the solution could reach temperatures of up to 90°C.

Also, since the solution is corrosive, it’s advisable to wear protective gloves, a face mask, and a long-sleeved top.

Next, the lye solution is poured into the used cooking oil and blended with a whisk or immersion blender until it achieves the consistency of caramel. Fragrance oils, colouring, or even dried herbs can be added to the mixture at this stage.

Finally, the mixture is poured into moulds or containers to set. At room temperature, it can take between three and four weeks for the soaps to harden.

“Due to the length of time needed for the soap to set, any residual odour from the used cooking oil will have dissipated by the time it is ready,” Maisarah noted.

And there you have it – beautiful soaps that are suitable for a variety of cleaning purposes, all thanks to one NGO’s efforts to reduce the wrongful disposal of a common household waste.

To learn more, follow Green Waste Selangor on Facebook and Instagram, or head to its official website here.