Pouring grease down your drains wreaks havoc on your plumbing and the Sewer System

 It's a common misconception that pouring grease down the drain is okay as long as you run hot water and pour dish soap down the drain. In reality, grease should NEVER go down the drain. It may be liquid and easy to pour but it will eventually cool and solidify causing a goopy mess to form along the pipe walls. This will trap other debris that flows down your drain and over time will result in clogs and a complete blockages of your plumbing system.

Sometimes the grease does make it past your home's plumbing system. However, it has then moved into the municipal sewer system where it continues to wreak havoc. Here, oil from all the households and restaurants in the area combine. Over time, these grease formations break down to form fatty acids and glycerol which then bind with the calcium in the sewers to form "fatbergs".
 
When the sewer level rises, the fatbergs cling to the sewer ceiling along with other debris, such as "flushable wipes" where they grow in size, eventually clogging the entire sewer pipe. 

This added to the fact that we have aging sewer lines spells TROUBLE for everyone! 


What to watch out for
Here are some of the fats, oils, and greases that should NEVER go down your drain:

• Butter
• Bacon grease
• Mayonnaise
• Peanut butter
• Poultry skins
• Salad dressing
• Cooking oils of any kind 
• Coconut oil
• Dairy products (because of their fat content)
• Drippings from chicken, pork, beef, etc.
• Gravy and other fat-based sauces

How to Properly Dispose of Grease

Cooking Oil
After using any kind of cooking oil that will not solidify when cooled, wait for the oil to cool down. Then, use paper towels to soak up the oil before washing the pan. Throw the paper towels in the trashcan.

If you have used a lot of oil. Disposing of it with paper towels may not be the best solution. Instead, pour the oil into a glass container with a lid for future use. If you do not want to reuse the oil, pour it into a disposable container with a screw top, such as a soda bottle. When that is full simply throw it in the trashcan. GreaseThe grease will solidify once cooled. This makes disposal much easier. Simply allow it to cool, then using a spatula remove the grease and throw it in the trashcan. Use a paper towel to soak or wipe up any remaining oil or fat in the pan. 

If you have to dispose of a lot of grease, pour it into a heat-proof container while still hot and in liquid form. When the container is cooled you can either empty it into the trash or throw the container away.