The proper disposal of fat, oil and grease helps prevent
wastewater overflows in our community.
Highlights
- In North Carolina and in our community, fat, oil and grease normally cause or help cause 25% or more of the wastewater overflows from sewers.
- Fat and oil and grease cause overflows by blocking the flow of wastewater inside a sewer.
- When a blockage occurs, wastewater can spill out of a manhole into the natural environment.
- Fat, oil and grease may also cause back-ups in plumbing drains at residences and businesses.
- Residents can dispose of small amounts of fat, oil and grease (up to one quart at a time) in a sealed container as part of normal household refuse taken to the landfill.
- Businesses and other non-residential customers that produce waste fat, oil and grease must have a grease trap that meets OWASA standards for effective operation.
- Grease traps must be cleaned out regularly by a company that recycles fat, oil and grease.
Why is proper 
disposal important?
- Keeping FOGs out of your plumbing drains helps to prevent sewage backups in your home and/or workplace.
- Proper grease disposal helps to reduce your costs for plumbing maintenance and cleaning.
- Keeping FOGs out of the public sewer system will help prevent overflows of untreated wastewater into the natural environment.
- Preventing wastewater overflows helps to protect the public health as well as the natural environment of plants and wildlife.
RIGHT: To operate with the simple force of gravity, sewers often follow ravines and creeks and are often in wooded areas. Preventing wastewater overflows is especially important in sensitive natural areas. |
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HOW CAN CAUSE
WASTEWATER OVERFLOWS
Waste fat, oil and grease (FOGs) are often produced in preparing food and in washing or other cleaning of cooking utensils.
Inside a plumbing system or a public sewer, FOGs harden to a plaster-like consistency and they often accumulate where tree roots have grown into a sewer main.
When FOGs accumulate in a sewer, they block the flow of wastewater.
A combination of roots and grease is especially likely to block the wastewater flow in a sewer.
When there is a blockage, wastewater can only go one of two places.
It can spill out of a manhole into the natural environment, or it can back up into a house or other building.
We clean and clear almost half of our 294 miles of sewers annually, but it is not possible to remove all FOG accumulations before they cause overflows.
Right: Fat, oil and grease are beginning to accumulate in a sewer and restrict the flow of wastewater. This picture was taken with a special videocamera we use to inspect the sewer system. |
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KEEPING OUT OF DRAINS AND SEWERS
Prevent fat, oil and grease from going down the drain during food preparation and while washing dishes.
Scraping or wiping fat, oil and grease off pots, pans, plates, bowls, etc. is simple but very effective.
Residents should dispose of small amounts (1 quart or less) of fat, oil and grease in a sealed container with household solid waste. In general, liquids should not be disposed of in a landfill. The Orange County Solid Waste Department therefore asks residents to make an effort to “solidify” fat, oil and grease by using a paper towel(s), newsprint, etc. to absorb FOGs.
Households with larger amounts of fat, oil, and grease should bring these items to a Household Hazardous Waste Collection event sponsored by Orange County Solid Waste at the Orange County Landfill. Please call 968-2800 for more information.
Businesses must have a grease trap which meets OWASA standards for effectiveness and is regularly cleaned out by a company that recycles the FOGs.
A spatula and paper towels...
...low cost, highly effective
tools for proper disposal.