NICOSIA, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of schoolchildren across Cyprus are collecting used cooking oil from their homes to be recycled into biofuel as part of a nationwide environmental initiative, a non-governmental organization announced on Thursday.
The project, known as "Frying Pan Movement", is coordinated by the AKTI Project and Research Center, a Cyprus-based environmental organization focused on sustainability and education. The initiative aims to reduce waste, promote recycling, and teach young people about the circular economy.
According to AKTI chairwoman Xenia Loizidou, children play a crucial role in the program, as collecting small amounts of oil from individual households would otherwise be logistically challenging.
"Millions of liters of used cooking oil are discarded each year, often clogging drains, sparking fires in landfills, or contaminating underground water reserves," Loizidou explained.
Cypriot households consume approximately 2,000 tons of cooking oil annually, yet only 10 percent is collected for recycling, according to local media.
Currently, around 80,000 schoolchildren are participating in the program, significantly increasing the amount of used oil collected. The proceeds from recycling are distributed among participating schools based on the quantity of oil delivered, allowing students to decide which environmental initiatives to fund.
Since its launch in 2018, the project has raised approximately 550,000 euros (573,000 U.S. dollars), supporting initiatives such as installing photovoltaic panels on school rooftops, setting up drinking water fountains, and creating gardens for cultivating aromatic plants. The program has received official backing from the Ministry of Education, Sport, and Youth of Cyprus. ■
