It is the day before Thanksgiving, and you are all prepared to start cooking away… but have you thought about the clean up process?

Pouring fats, oils, and grease (FOG) down the drain causes plumbing issues including build up in the pipes, clogging, and basement backups. These issues are also seen at the Water Reclamation Facility and in sewer pipes around the city from improper disposal of FOG.

Whether you are frying your turkey or roasting in the oven, every household should have a plan to dispose of the fats, oils, and grease from cooking a delicious Thanksgiving meal. We contacted the ReWorks Household Hazardous Waste Recycling Center (HHWRC), the solid waste management authority for all of Summit County, to find the best options for reusing or recycling of cooking oil.

All of Summit County residents can bring cooking oil to the center for proper disposal, free of charge. The HHWRC is open to all residents (no businesses) and collects hundreds of gallons of cooking oil every season. When disposing at HHWRC, oil must be stored in clearly marked plastic or steel containers no larger than 5 gallons and no more than 15 gallons can be dropped off per vehicle.

Another disposal option is letting the oil cool, pouring it into a sealable container, allowing it to solidify, and placing that container into a plastic bag before disposing in the trash. Adding paper towels, shredded paper, or paper napkins to the container will help with the solidifying process of the oil. As a reminder, cooking oil should never be placed in curbside recycling bins.

Instead of disposal, some choose to strain and re-use the oil for frying other foods. Let the oil cool to a safe temperature and use a utensil to remove any large pieces from cooking. Place a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth over the container used to store the oil in and begin to pour carefully in case of more large pieces at the bottom of the fryer. Store the oil in a cool, dry location.

Find the seasonal hours of ReWorks Household Hazardous Waste Recycling Center at https://www.summitreworks.com/243/Hours.

Blog post written by HHWRC: https://www.summitreworks.com/blog.aspx?iid=21