Design and Development of an IoT-Based Oil Collecting System

Improper disposal of waste cooking oil (WCO) remains a persistent environmental problem, with domestic discards contaminating waterways and wasting a recoverable resource. This study presents the design and evaluation of an IoT-monitored oil collecting system that marries automated weighing with real-time data reporting to incentivize WCO recovery. The prototype integrates a single-point load sensor with an HX711 amplifier and a NodeMCU ESP32 controller. Measured mass is converted on device to a monetary value, displayed on a 16×2 LCD, and streamed to a centralized dashboard via the Blynk IoT platform for counter-side oversight. Development followed a staged workflow- simulation, PCB layout/fabrication, and full hardware integration; prior to functional testing. Under initial (no-load) conditions, the LCD shows zero and a red LED indicates readiness; upon loading, the system computes the corresponding cash amount, updates the display, and posts values to Blynk. A green LED confirms successful logging, and the counter can issue a reset from the interface. Testing showed the prototype meets its objectives: it reliably weighs WCO, performs on-device weight-to-currency conversion, and enables remote monitoring of per-user accumulations. Beyond technical performance, the system operationalizes behavioural incentives (cash rewards) to motivate household participation, supporting sustainability aims such as protecting water systems and reducing reliance on virgin resources. Overall, the results indicate that a low-cost IoT architecture can link environmental protection with economic benefit in community recycling programs, providing a practical pathway to scale responsible WCO management.