PATRICIA HERNANI
Erick Campó
EGADE Business School Tecnologico de Monterrey
Consuelo Garcia-de-la-torre
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This initiative appeals to the SDG's 6 and 7. The collection of used oil prevents the contamination of thousands of liters of water, in adittion once it is processed it is used as biodiesel, so it becomes energy for vehicles that does not generate noxious gases for the environment. Finally, the awareness campaigns allow minimizing the impact on the environment. All this finally has an impact on a general welfare of society and the environment.
In 2016, Engineer Julio Ragas made the decision to implement a storage plant that collects UCO (used cooking oil). But one of this biggest concerned, was the awareness and education of the people about these problem, so he dedicated time teaching how to recollect the UCO. Which is mainly generated in houses, gastronomic or industrial establishments.
Irresponsible disposition of UCO produces harmful effects that affect us all. Because, for every liter of UCO that is thrown into the drainage, it contaminates more than 1000 liters of water, damaging the natural balance of rivers and seas.
Mr. Ragas wanted to take action, so he was the first person to implement a UCO collection system in our country. His mission was to avoid the unnecessary spillage of this waste in our waters. Additionally, he discovered that the fat of chickens when is fried left an oil with very similar characteristics to the UCO, so he decided to gather it as well.
It started with a storage plant in the outskirts of Lima and some trucks to collect the UCO. At first it only work in Lima but in a progressive way it was expanding to the different cities of the country. Today he is about to launch a joint program with FUNDES and the Inter-American Development Bank (BID) called “Bio-bodegas” (bio-grocery stores) which is a UCO collection program for homes. This project involves small neighborhood stores who will have at their disposal a container to store UCO. So far, the program has been implemented in 285 bio-grocery stores in Lima.
The dream of a cleaner Peru and the care of the waters was the inspiration of Julio Ragas to start this project. His previous experience in a Chilean company that collected and sold UCO made him start his own business, he decided to go a step further. So he began to educate people about the responsible manipulation of the UCO. So step from being just a business to carrying out awareness campaigns with the different actors in society.
"Until a few years ago, restaurants in Peru reused cooking oil and when they could no longer use it, they threw it out through the pipe. But now that is changing. People are becoming aware" says Julio Ragas. And indeed, RP Ambiental, through talks and training programs, has been able to raise awareness among entities such as restaurants, municipalities, soup kitchens and other industries, making agreements with them to collect per month an average of 260 tons of UCO and fat residues of chicken for later conversion to biodiesel, thus avoiding an imminent contamination of seas and rivers in case the entities pour the water down the drain or possible damages to public health in case the cooking oil is reused.
The next step for RP Ambiental is to reach homes massively. To this end, it has established an alliance with FUNDES and the IDB (Inter-American Development Bank) that will allow them to participate in the "Eco-Bodegas" program, providing training to the owners of these grocery stores and collecting the UCO from the containers that will be placed in them. In that way, the warehouses, businesses that are located in all the neighborhoods of the country will serve as UCO collection points for households. They estimate to collect 10 tons per month during the first year with the “Eco-Bodegas” program.
"We made the change but there is still a lot to do. We have to spread what we do and educate people. Finally, the benefit is for everyone" ends Mr. Ragas.
RP Ambiental educates and creates awareness in people that this is not only a business model, but is a necessity the action of not polluting, from the humblest to the most luxurious restaurant.
For Julio Ragas generate profitability through the collection of waste is possible, the average international price of the UCO is $ 600/Ton, is marketed locally where it is most quoted. People should be aware that this service generates a cost and recycling waste is delivered free of charge.
Julio Ragas is the pioneer in UCO recycling in the country. His desire is that RP Ambiental to be known for the work it develops and reaches at national level. For Julio to receive the recognition and gratitude of the society would be his greatest benefit.
Since Julio began this adventure 2 years ago he could see that people are becoming aware and changing their way of thinking about the waste collection service for the benefit of the environment, our health, our future as a society and thus achieve a sustainable city with the good use of waste.
RP Ambiental regularly trains its employees so that they in turn spread the message to others. The purpose is that people recycle by education not by obligation.
RP Ambiental seeks to promote renewable and clean energy such as biodiesel in this way to protect the environment and contribute to avoid global warming. Also avoid the contamination of water to take conscience of the recycling of oil and not pour it directly into the sinks.
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Julio Ragas, Deputy General Manager
RP Ambiental is a 100% Peruvian company that is responsible of the integral service of collection, transport of polluting waste such as used cooking oil (UCO) of domestic and gastronomic origin (local business dedicated to the preparation of food with the use of oil) and its final disposal as an ecological fuel (biodiesel) with an index of traceability that ensures that it will not be used for misuse or dumping into drains that cause serious damage to the environment.
RP Environmental seeks to avoid pollution by generating clean energy, creating awareness and a culture in people in the elimination of this waste for the benefit of the environment.