TRAINING ON MAKING AROMA THERAPY CANDLES FROM WASTE COOKING OIL FOR STUDENTS OF SMKN 4 BANJARMASIN

Abstract

Used cooking oil, which is produced from the repeated use of cooking oil, contains hazardous compounds that can trigger serious illnesses and contribute to environmental pollution. In vocational schools, particularly those with culinary arts programs, used cooking oil is a common waste product generated from cooking practices. Often regarded as waste and discarded, used cooking oil can be recycled into valuable aromatherapy candles. This community service initiative aims to educate the students of SMK Negeri 4 Banjarmasin about effective waste management of used cooking oil through training in aromatherapy candle making. In addition to raising environmental awareness, this activity enhances students' creativity by transforming waste into useful products. The implementation method includes: (1) providing a lecture on the dangers of used cooking oil and its potential uses; (2) hands-on practice in making aromatherapy candles from waste oil; (3) discussion and Q&A  sessions; and (4) evaluation through pre- and post-tests. Pre-test results indicated that 88.57% of participants had never made aromatherapy candles using used cooking oil. In contrast, post-test results showed a significant  improvement in skills, with all participants successfully making aromatherapy candles from used cooking oil.