Thanksgiving is over, but are you still holding on to all that grease? North Texas cities are coming together for a holiday grease roundup to prevent folks from dumping it down their garbage disposals.
Defend Your Drains North Texas is working with 35 cities to prevent residents from disposing of their grease improperly. Thirty-six locations are available for easy drop-off in cities such as Allen, Richardson, Denton, Princeton and more.
When fats, oils and grease (FOG) are disposed of through drains, they adhere to the inner walls of pipes, solidifying and accumulating over time, leading to blockages and sewer backups. FOG comes from meats, butter, sauces and gravy, dairy products and cooking oil — popular ingredients in many holiday meals.
This buildup can result in sewage overflowing into residences, streets and nearby water bodies. Whether the necessary repairs are within households or on the streets, the consequences can be expensive and inconvenient. In the event of a sewer overflow, municipal crews must close down streets, causing traffic disruptions and escalating costs for both residents and local governments.
Numerous municipalities have collaborated with the North Central Texas Council of Governments, the Wastewater and Treatment Education Roundtable and American BioSource to safeguard sewer systems and the environment. This partnership includes the provision of extra drop-off locations or the promotion of existing services to encourage responsible grease disposal.
The gathered cooking oil and grease will undergo recycling processes to create biodiesel or biogas. This not only minimizes landfill waste but also generates a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative fuel.
The 2023 Holiday Grease Roundup is going on now and concludes on Friday, Jan. 12, 2024.
Click here to find a drop-off location near you.
Reminder: This is a used cooking oil and grease collection only; used motor oil should be brought to a household hazardous waste location or an automotive supply store.
