Let’s keep our sewer pipes fat free!

Cooking certain foods such as turkeys can release fats, oils and grease, also known as FOG. Sources of FOG include waste cooking oil, meat scraps and bones, gravies, oils, shortening and butter. The FOG collects and hardens over time and has the potential to clog your sewer or septic pipes.  Hot water may help the grease get down the drain, but as soon as it cools, the grease starts forming layers inside your sewer or septic pipes.

Here’s what you can do to have fat free sewers this holiday season and all year round:

Scrape food scraps from plates into the garbage can or compost bin if you have one.  

Wipe all plates, pots and pans with a paper towel prior to washing them.

Pour waste cooking oil, frying oil, gravies, and sauces into disposable containers and let them cool before placing them in the trash can.  

Minimize the use of your garbage disposal, which adds large solids to your pipes. 

Use a sink strainer to catch food wastes during dish washing, and wipe the debris out of the strainer with a paper towel and put it in the trash.