The holidays are a time for families and friends to gather together and celebrate the season. This also means cooking and enjoying lots of food! When preparing that holiday feast, it’s important to remember to properly dispose of clog-inducing FOG. So, what is FOG? It is comprised of the fats, oils, and grease that can be found in food. Common sources of FOG include:
- Cooking oil (olive, canola, vegetable, etc.)
- Butter
- Bacon grease
- Shortening
- Lard
- Meat Fat
- Salad dressings
Unclogging a drain can add an expense to our list that none of us want, especially during the holidays. Not only that, but sewer backups can end up in our waterways, causing health and environmental problems. The City of Sacramento’s Department of Utilities wants to make sure that this holiday season your pipes flow smoothly.
So how can you help reduce the risk of a drain clog? An important fact to remember is that although FOG may go down the drain as a liquid, it cools and becomes solidified. This solid layer of fat floats to the top of the wastewater, sticking to the pipes, eventually causing buildup where water should be flowing. You can help by following these simple steps:
- Pour it – pour the FOG into a disposable container
- Seal it – make sure the disposable container is properly sealed
- Trash it – throw away the container into a waste bin or garbage can
By knowing how to properly dispose of FOG, you can avoid the headache and expense of dealing with a sewer backup, and instead enjoy spending time with your family and friends.