As many sit down this weekend for the Thanksgiving feast, they may not realize they are contributing to a costly problem.
The average 14 pound turkey produced about 250 millilitres or 1 cup of fat.
Image that multiplied by thousands of homes in this community alone and it can create a problem down the line.
Many municipalities are encouraging people to not pour fats, oils and grease (or FOG) down the drains. They mix with other items such as wipes and dental floss to create what’s called a fatberg.
As soon as the FOGs go a short distance, they start to harden and end up clogging the sewage system.
Metro Vancouver spends about $2 million to repair the damage caused by these products and homeowners can also face costly bills when their pipes get blocked. That’s why it created the Wipe It, Green Bin It campaign to educate residents, but these tips can be used in homes throughout British Columbia.
Disposal:
• For small amounts of grease, wipe or scrape out the pot or pan and put the grease into your green bin.
• Larger amounts of grease, like deep fryer oil, can be dropped off at an approved recycling depot.
Kitchen cloggers:
• Fats - dairy produts, salad dressings, margarine, butter, shortening.
• Oils - cooking oils such as olive, canola, vegetable, corn, peanut, coconut) as well as oil-based sauces.
• Grease - pan drippings, trimmings from meat, lard.
READ ABOUT THANKSGIVING COOKING FIRE SAFETY
