From Coconut Waste to Industrial Spill Control

links: Isabel Matola, Founder & Managing Director, Aura Verde; rechts: Ania Valério, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Aura Verde

© Aura Verde

Oil and fuel spills are a daily reality in industrial environments - from ports and workshops to energy, mining and logistics operations. While mineral-based absorbents remain the standard solution, they often create secondary disposal challenges and ESG concerns. Aura Verde, a Mozambique-based company founded in 2021, has developed an organic oil absorbent designed as a drop-in alternative for professional spill response. Michael Reubold asked Isabel Matola, Founder and Managing Director and Ania Valério, Co-Founder and Managing Director, to explain the technology, its industrial performance and why practical adoption matters more than sustainability slogans.

CHEManager: What did you observe in practice that motivated you to develop a new type of oil absorbent?

Isabel Matola: I have worked in industrial and environmental sectors for more than 20 years, and oil and fuel spills have always been a recurring operational issue. Over time, I experimented with different natural materials, particularly coconut by-products, and was consistently impressed by how many functional applications can be derived from the coconut. The breakthrough came when peat moss was banned in parts of Southern Africa, which accelerated the search for a biological alternative that could perform reliably under industrial conditions.

Mineral-based absorbents have been used for decades. From your perspective, where do their limitations become most visible in operations?