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Metro Vancouver gives thanks to those who don’t put grease down the drain

Coming to a drain new you – fatberg – caused by putting fats, oils and grease clogging pipes.
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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.

Metro Vancouver is one of the governments 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, after two successful pilots in Surrey and Richmond, is now rolling out a region-wide campaign in the lead up to Thanksgiving 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.

“As we celebrate Thanksgiving with fat-rich foods like gravy and roast turkey, 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.”

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.

After two successful pilots in Surrey and Richmond, Metro Van is now rolling out a region-wide campaign in the lead up to Thanksgiving to educate residents about how to properly dispose of their kitchen oils and grease.

“It doesn’t matter how much hot water or soap you pour down after the grease, Mussatto noted. “Sooner or later it solidifies.”

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.

FIND A RECYCLING DEPOT THAT ACCEPTS FOGS

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

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Heather Colpitts

About the Author: Heather Colpitts

Since starting in the news industry in 1992, my passion for sharing stories has taken me around Western Canada.
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