SEREMBAN - It all began with wanting to help the community earn income by selling sell used cooking oil about five years ago, Mohd Hazim Mohd Mustazar, 33, is now able to earn a five-figure income a month.
A Diploma in Business Management graduate from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Segamat, Johor, purchases used cooking oil for RM2 to RM3 per kilogramme from various sources and collects up to 30 to 40 tons each month for resale.
The owner of Infinite Refining Resources, which operates in Taman Tasik Jaya Industrial Area, said his company is registered and licensed by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB).
"Used cooking oil has value and can be recycled, I began exploring its potential in 2019 to benefit the community," he told Bernama recently.
He said the used cooking oil can also be used as biodiesel, a more environmentally friendly substitute for fossil fuels.
He said most of the used cooking oil is obtained from eateries, restaurants, food stalls, and communities in villages or residential parks.
Additionally, he sources oil from recycling programmes organised by various quarters.
Meanwhile, Natrah Mat Kasim, 45, started collecting and selling used cooking oil after learning it could provide a good income after joining a used cooking oil campaign organised by the Kawasan Rukun Tetangga (KRT) in her neighbourhood.
She said she was able to get RM70 for selling 10kg of used cooking oil.
Meanwhile, Negeri Sembilan Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp) director Cairul Hisham Jalaluddin said the campaign to collect used cooking oil has been carried out since 2022.
He said it was carried out through the 'Trash To Cash' programme in schools, local communities and institutions of higher learning, he said.
"Instead of throwing away used cooking oil and causing environmental pollution, it is better to use it as a source of income,” he added.
He said that from January to September this year, 13,819 kg of used cooking oil has been collected.
"At the initial stage the collection data was zero, but since we actively organised the campaign, it showed a very sharp increase through collaboration with registered collectors to buy the used oil," he said. - BERNAMA