This project aims to address improper disposal of used cooking oil in Malawi where hotels and restaurants discharge polluting waste oil into drains or rivers. The proposed solution is to collect used vegetable oil and convert it into biodiesel. The project is currently in the research and prototype stage. By recycling waste oil, the initiative aims to reduce pollution while at the same time providing a more sustainable fuel alternative.

Current costs include purchasing used cooking oil, methanol and sodium hydroxide required for biodiesel production. The activity has been entirely self-funded. Key challenges include limited funding, the lack of laboratory equipment needed to test the fuel’s properties and the absence of technical and financial support to further develop and validate the prototype. The long-term goal is to complete research and testing and establish Malawi’s first biodiesel production facility using waste cooking oil.