The holiday season is upon us, and with it, lots of delicious holiday meals filled with fats, oils and grease, commonly known as FOG.
The Oklahoma City Utilities Department wants to remind residents to “prevent clogs by tossing your FOG.” This means tossing fats, oils, grease and other bulky food items into the trash, and not down the drain. If poured down the sink, FOG can clog sewer lines and cause costly repairs to the homeowner and the City. More than one-third of sewer line blockages in Oklahoma City are caused by FOG.
To help prevent clogs, pour liquid FOG such as turkey grease, gravy, cooking oil or melted butter into a lidded container, then place it in the freezer until the FOG becomes solid. You can then toss the container into the trash. The City also recommends throwing all solid food remnants such as peels or skins into the trash and using a paper towel to wipe out any remaining FOG from pots and pans before cleaning them in the sink or dishwasher.
For larger amounts of FOG, such as full containers from outdoor turkey fryers, the City recommends taking leftover grease to the Household Hazardous Waste Center at 1621 S Portland Ave. Hours are Tuesday-Friday 9:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Saturday 8:30 - 11:30 a.m.
“Even small amounts of fats, oils or grease can build up over time, and accumulate in sewer service lines, causing blockages and back-ups in people’s plumbing or our mains,” said April Kyle, Treatment Supervisor with the Oklahoma City Utilities Wastewater Quality Division. “Throwing fats, oils, grease and veggie or other peelings into the trash or compost bin is an easy way to avoid expensive plumbing visits and help prevent blockages in the City’s wastewater system.”
Kyle notes that while FOG is a year-round problem, the holidays offer an important opportunity to remind people to be careful. “Holiday recipes tend to call for more butter, oils, gravies, fats and foods considered as FOG,” Kyle said. “And the average kitchen disposer won’t help break it down enough to prevent clogs.”
Common fats, oils and grease include butter, shortening, margarine, meat trimmings, poultry skin, cheese, milk, cream, sour cream, cooking oils, salad dressing, gravy, and mayonnaise. Other items to toss include pie crusts, coffee grounds, onion, carrot and potato peels, and celery.
For more information on how you can protect your pipes from FOG and other contaminants, visit www.okc.gov/utilities.
The Oklahoma City Water Utilities Trust serves more than 1.4 million residents in Central Oklahoma and is committed to providing water, wastewater and trash collection services to safeguard public health and the environment, support public safety, and enable economic prosperity.
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Media Contact
Jennifer McClintock
(405) 297-3363, (405) 464-9288
jennifer.mcclintock@okc.gov