How to properly dispose of cooking oil: An essential guide
Substantial amounts of waste are generated, especially during the holiday season. You are familiar with handling most types of waste: compost goes in the brown bin, while glass, paper, and plastic are sorted into green, blue, and yellow containers, respectively. However, the question of disposing of cooking oil remains. Many people pour hot grease from the pan directly into the sink or toilet, but experts warn against this practice due to its negative consequences.
Frying Christmas Eve carp in the kitchen can make it difficult to maintain tidiness. Grease on the stove, breadcrumbs on the counter, and the pervasive smell of fried fish make it understandable that you might want to dispose of them quickly. The first step is to clean the pan, though this inevitably spreads the mess and unpleasant aroma. Fortunately, there are two methods to dispose of cooking oil that avoid damaging drain pipes and consider the environment responsibly.
What's the best way to clean oil from the pan?
The simplest method, often practised by chefs, is to wipe the pan with a paper towel. This is quite straightforward: just wipe the pan and discard the towel in the mixed waste bin. The issue arises when there is a larger quantity of oil.
Where to pour oil from the pan?
According to guidelines, used cooking oil should be poured into a PET bottle and disposed of in a black bin for mixed waste. Avoid using a glass jar, as it could break when the rubbish is handled.
Exercise caution when transferring oil to a plastic bottle. Do not pour hot oil as it can melt the plastic. Allow the grease to cool first. Significant amounts of grease should be transported in a tightly sealed container to a Municipal Waste Collection Point.
Why can't I pour oil into the sink or toilet?
Liquid grease settles in pipes, causing other food remnants to stick to the viscous liquid. Once it cools, this results in a blockage that obstructs drainage. Such blockages are difficult to clean with regular chemical products. If your drain becomes completely clogged, you'll need a plumber's intervention, which can be quite costly.
Pouring cooking oil into the sink or toilet also has environmental implications. Grease is not eliminated at wastewater treatment plants. Thus, the least harmful option is disposing of the used grease bottle in the mixed waste bin.
Can cooking oil be segregated?
In some areas of the UK, special containers collect used cooking oil. In such cases, oil should be poured into a PET bottle and disposed of in these designated areas. Once cleaned and processed, the grease can be reused in industrial production, for instance, as an additive to biofuels. Not only cooking oil from frying but also brine from vegetable preserves or fish marinated in oil can be collected for segregation.
Used oil should not be added to compost. Adding contaminated grease disrupts the activity of bacteria breaking down organic matter. Oil in soil threatens subterranean organisms and could contaminate surface water.
