Grease — it’s the bane of every sewer system and it’s costing Metro Vancouver millions of dollars each year to tackle the problems caused by this slippery kitchen mainstay.
Cooking oil, shortening, butter, lard or meat drippings washed down the drain bind with other materials and then harden in sewers, which can result in ‘fatbergs,’ clogs and sewage overflows into the environment. Metro Vancouver and its member municipalities spend over $2 million every year to unblock sewage pipes and to repair or replace infrastructure impacted by grease.
Metro Vancouver, after two successful pilots in Surrey and Richmond, is now rolling out a region-wide campaign to educate residents about how to properly dispose of their kitchen oils and grease. With the ‘Wipe It, Green Bin It’ message, Metro Vancouver wants residents to put grease in their green bins, instead of down the sink.
“We hope residents will use this easy method to dispose of their oil and cooking fats,” says Darrell Mussatto, chair of Metro Vancouver’s utilities committee. “Simply wipe grease up with paper towel and place it in your green bin instead of pouring it down the drain.”
Large volumes of oil from deep fryers must be collected and taken to specialized recycling depots, such as Fraser Valley Bottle and Return-It Depot at 22575 Fraser Hwy in Langley.
“Putting grease down the drain can cause big problems, not only for municipal sewers but also for household plumbing systems,” continues Mussatto. “This can lead to backed-up sewers and expensive repairs. It doesn’t matter how much hot water or soap you pour down after the grease. Sooner or later it solidifies.”
Find out more about correct grease disposal at www.metrovancouver.org/grease.