Next Gen: Cleaning harmful oils with bacteria and Magali Mendez

Are you guilty of pouring your used cooking oil down the drain after a hearty meal? If so, you're not alone. In fact, a staggering 94% of European households indulge in this habit, unaware of the environmental consequences. But biodesigner Magali Mendez might have the solution. She designed a house-hold kit with bacteria that can break down harmful oil molecules.

Magali Mendez is a biodesigner and researcher with a passion for sustainable design. After following  a strategic sustainable design course at the University of Buenos Aires in 2017, she then graduated from Ma Biodesign at Central Saint Martins in 2022.

Domestic UCO stands for Used Cooking Oil, which is the oil left over after cooking food. When it’s poured down the sink, it can have bad consequences on the environment and your plumbing. As the oil cools and congeals, it forms a sticky mass known as a fat-berg. This poses a grave threat to aquatic ecosystems, suffocating marine life. The oil forms a layer on the surface of the water, blocking oxygen from reaching aquatic organisms like fish and insects. Next to that, the oil can also clog up the pipes in our homes and even in the sewers underground. 

Bi-Oleum is a household kit that uses non-pathogenic bacteria to bioremediate and remove domestic UCO, turning it into an output that can be safely disposed of. Just add the solution to used cooking oil, give it a stir, and let nature take its course. The bacteria break down the oil molecules into harmless byproducts. Unlike other eco-friendly solutions, Bi-Oleum is affordable and easy to use, making it accessible to households of all shapes and sizes.

Watch Magali Mendez' explanation video about Bi-Oleum below!

This story is part of Next Gen, a series in which we give young makers a platform to showcase their work. Your work here? Get in touch and plot your coordinates as we navigate our future together.