Residential Grease Disposal

Not everything you pour down the drain will make it to the Wastewater Treatment Plant. Fats, oils and greases can stick to your home’s sewer pipe, eventually blocking the pipe and causing a backup or overflow of untreated sewage. This can result in high costs to the homeowner for cleanup and restoration work.

Where does household grease come from?

Most people know that household grease is a by-product of cooking. Grease is generated from such things as:

• Meats
• Dairy products
• Sauces
• Butter/ margarine
• Cooking oils and greases
• Shortening/ lard

Grease can enter the sink drain during food preparation and after meal clean up. The grease cools as it enters the sewer pipes and sticks to the sides of the pipes. Over time the grease builds up to a point where the pipe can be entirely blocked off, resulting in sewage backups and overflows onto your property and/ or into your home.

To help prevent sewer problems, please consider the following:

• Never pour grease down the sink drains or toilets (even with the aid of hot water, because when the greasy water cools down in the sewer pipe, the grease will re-solidify).

• Scrape grease and food scraps off your plates, utensils, pots and pans into your garbage instead of washing them down the drain.

• Place a drain screen in your sink to catch food scraps and dispose of grease and food scraps in your garbage. 

• When cooking meats, pour the grease off into a disposable container, let the grease cool down and solidify and dispose of in the garbage. Remember the saying, “Store it, don’t pour it!”

• Use disposable paper towels to wipe up grease and dispose of the paper towel in your garbage. 

• Be consumer wise when using a commercial cleaner or detergent, which claims to dissolve greases, as they may only transport the problem further down the sewer system.

• Vegetable waste can be composted but be careful not to put meat/meat byproducts into your compost bin as this can attract wild animals to your backyard.