Fats, Oils, and Grease (F.O.G.)

When fats, oils, and grease are dumped into drains, either in homes or businesses, it can cause costly sewer blockages and overflows. Learn more below about fats, oils, and grease control for businesses as well as what you can do as a homeowner to properly dispose of these substances.

  1. F.O.G. Clogs Pipes
  2. Disposal Tips for Your Home
  3. F.O.G. Control for Businesses

You've just prepared a nice dinner after a long, hard day. Now, you're looking at that mess at the kitchen sink and dreading the cleanup. It might be tempting to just pour that hamburger grease and cooking oil down the kitchen sink … but, don't do it!

If you like to dump your leftover food scraps, oils, and grease down the drain, chances are you will pay for it sooner or later. Grease causes sewer blockages and overflows that damage homes, threaten the environment, and cause health hazards. Grease blockages can back up raw sewage into your home, your neighbor's home, a neighborhood park, a nearby yard, or the street.

Grease comes from food items such as:

  • meat fats
  • lard
  • cooking oil
  • shortening
  • butter and margarine
  • food scraps
  • sauces
  • dairy products

Grease sticks to the inside of sewer pipes, both on your property and in the streets. Through time, the grease can build up and block an entire pipe.

You might think it's okay to use your garbage disposal to shred leftover meat or cheese or other fatty foods, but shredding doesn't get rid of the fats that create grease. And, what about those detergents that claim to dissolve grease? They just pass the grease down the line to cause problems elsewhere.