Hot fats, oil and grease tipped down the sink will not go far before they cool, solidify and block water pipes. This can result in an expensive plumbing repair bill and sewer overflows and backups that are not only unpleasant but can also damage your home’s interior and threaten the environment.
You can prevent these problems by following a few very simple guidelines to disposing of fats, oil and grease.
Cool and collect fats, oil and grease in a covered container and dispose of in a rubbish bin, add to compost, or dig into your garden
Scrape pots and pans into your rubbish bin before rinsing and washing
Add a strainer to your sink to catch food scraps and other solids that can collect with any fat to create a blockage
Restaurants and other food handling businesses are a significant source of fats, oil and grease because of the amount of cooking and other food preparation work they do. To prevent blockages, Watercare recommends:
Cool and collect fats, oil and grease in a covered container and use a commercial collector to pick these up
Use a commercial service to clean the filters in your ventilation hood
Install a grease trap and have it commercially cleaned regularly to keep it working properly