NO FATS, OILS & GREASE DOWN THE DRAIN
Sanitary sewer overflows have been known to occur due to sewer blockages generated from Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG) poured or flushed down residential drains that connect to the sanitary sewer system. Bacon grease, chicken fat and vegetable oil, to name a few examples of common FOG, tends to clump together with other FOG washed down drains or flushed in toilets, slowly solidifying and reducing flow capacity in the sewer pipes. Much like too much fat in your diet can cause clogged arteries and lead to a heart attack in humans, the result of many households washing FOG down their drains can also be disastrous. Fats don't dissolve in water. Washing fats down the drain with hot water may take it past your sewer connection, but as the water cools, the fats and grease harden in sewer pipes. Detergents dissolve fat enough to clean your dishes or laundry, but not enough to keep it from congealing in the sewer. Fats, oils and grease cause about 47% of sewer overflows in the U.S.
What should you do with your FOG?
1) Put it in your trash. If a FOG will solidify, let it. Placing it in your refrigerator or freezer can speed up the process. Simply spoon it into a container (preferably not anything recyclable) and put it in the trash, once solidified.
2) Scrape plates into the garbage using a rubber or silicon spatula.
3) Before washing pans or anything else containing FOG, pour it into a container to solidify. Then wipe the pan with a paper towel before you wash it to absorb as much FOG as possible and discard the papertowel in the trash.
4) Don't put liquid oil in the trash. Instead, place it in a sealed can and add kitty litter, coffee grounds or other absorbent material, such as the papertowels used to wipe pans before washing.
The message is simple: NEVER put fats, oils or grease down your drain.
If you have any questions, please contact our office at 715-528-3330.