Keep Fats, Oils & Grease Out of Sewers

Fats, Oil & Grease Don’t Belong Down the Drain

Think twice before you pour something down the drain. Just like fatty foods clog human arteries, fats, oils and grease build up inside our sewer lines. Warm fats, oils and grease washed down the drain will cool, harden and stick to the inside of sewer pipes. Over time, this can cause blockages and even sewer backups - which are unpleasant, messy and costly for property owners.

Some of the biggest contributors to sanitary sewer backups are things poured down your kitchen drain or garbage disposal.

Do Not Pour Down Drain

Things you shouldn’t pour down the drain or garbage disposal include:

  • Butter
  • Cooking oil
  • Food scraps containing fats
  • Grease
  • Meat scraps

Proper Disposal

Instead, here are some options for disposing of these items:

  • Cooking oil: Bring it to the City’s monthly electronic recycling collections, which take place on the second Saturday of each month. Cooking oil can be turned into biofuel.
  • Grease: Pour grease from cooking into an empty  container. Allow it to cool before throwing it in the trash. Use a paper  towel to wipe out remaining grease in the pan before washing.
  • Meat scraps, butter and other food scraps containing fats: Throw them in the garbage.