Proper Disposal of Cooking Oil and Grease
Most people who cook at home think nothing of putting leftover grease, oil, and food scraps down the drain, but fats, oils and grease (FOG) that combine with food particles can clog pipes in sanitary sewer lines and can cause serious backups. The following is a list of instructions for residents to follow to avoid expensive plumbing repairs and sewer overflows.
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Do
- Put grease in covered collection containers. When hardened, place in trash can.
- Scrape food scraps from dishes into trash cans and dispose of in household trash.
- Avoid using the garbage disposal for this type of clean up.
- Remove oil and grease from dishes, pans, fryers and griddles. Cool first before skimming, scraping or wiping off excess grease.
- Prewash dishes and pans with cold water before putting them in the dishwasher.
- Cover kitchen sink with a catch basket and empty into garbage can as needed.
- NOTE: for large amounts of cooking oil, do NOT place in trash. You may recycle cooking oil at the Dallas County Household Hazardous Waste Facility located at 11234 Plano Road, Dallas, TX or drop off during the Holiday Grease Roundup from Nov. 14 to Jan. 9, 2022 at the City of Mesquite Convenience Center located at 3550 Lawson Road. Click here for flyer. Or you may call the City of Mesquite Solid Waste Division for pick-up at 972-216-6285.
Don't
- Pour oil and grease down the drain.
- Put food scraps down the drain.
- Dispose of large amounts of cooking oil in the trash.See above for instructions.
- Run water over dishes, pans, fryers and griddles to wash oil and grease down the drain.
- Rinse off oil and grease with hot water.
