Prevent sewer backups 

When poured down the drain, fats, oils and grease (FOG) build up in your pipes and the city’s sewer pipes and block the flow of wastewater, and can not only damage plumbing lines, but can cause untreated wastewater to back up into homes and businesses.

For restaurants, it can also mean several days without being open for business.

• FATS (solid at room temperature): butter, shortening, margarine, peanut butter, meat trimmings (and fat), poultry skin, cheese, milk, cream, avocadoes, sour cream and ice cream
• OILS (liquid at room temperature): All cooking oils and/or oil-based dressings or sauces, including nut butters,  vegetable oil, canola oil, olive oil, corn oil, and other cooking oils.
• GREASE (turns liquid during cooking, but solidifies when cooled): Gravy, mayonnaise, melted meat fat, bacon and sausage, boiled poultry skin, coconut oil, salad dressings.
• Other kitchen clog-makers: Potato peels, pie crusts, coffee grounds, cake, pancake or cooking batters, pasta, stringy vegetables, coffee grounds.  

• Dump your left-over fats, oils and grease into a soup or coffee can. Then put a lid on the can, and stick it in the freezer. When the can is full, throw it away in the regular trash, then start all over with another empty can.
• Toss all food scraps in the trash instead of down the sink. Raw vegetable and fruit waste, egg shells and coffee grounds can be used to start a compost pile.
• Use a paper towel to wipe out excess grease from cookware and dishes before putting them in the sink or dishwasher. Throw the greasy paper towel in the trash.

Myth: Washing FOG down with dish-washing soap helps break it up.
Truth: This only passes the FOG down the line to cause problems elsewhere.

Myth: Running hot water will dissolve the FOG by heating it up.
Truth: Hot water may melt FOG temporarily, but it as it cools, it will re-solidify later down the line.

Myth: Using the garbage disposal eliminates FOG in the drain.
Truth: Garbage disposals may break up certain solid materials, but the fats, oils and grease will still cling to the pipes.

• City of Oklahoma City Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility

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