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How to Prevent Fats, Oils, and Grease from Damaging Your Home

Fats Oils and Grease

Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG) aren't just bad for your arteries and your waistline; they're bad for sewers!  Sewer overflows and backups can cause health hazards, damage home and business interiors, and threaten the environment.  Common causes for sewer backups are pipes blocked by grease that has been poured down household drains. 

Sewer clogs result in:

  • Sewage backups into homes, streets, and waterways, polluting the environment.
  • Potential contact with disease-causing organisms.
  • Expensive cleanup, repair costs, and inconvenience.
  • Higher operating costs for the Department of Public Works, resulting in increases to sewer bills for customers.
  • Foul and unpleasant odors.
DO'S
  • DO pour cooled oil or grease into a container; then seal and discard with your regular trash or recycle it.
  • DO wipe off oil and grease from pots, pans, dishes, and cooking surfaces.
  • DO put baskets/strainers in sink drains to catch food scraps; then empty contents into the trash or compost.
  • DO scrape food scraps into the trash or compost.

DON'TS
  • DON'T pour oil or grease down sink drains or into toilets.
  • DON'T wash fryers, pots, pans, and plates with water until oil and grease are removed.
  • DON'T dispose of food scraps down sink drains.

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