Balkan says grease is great for making dog biscuits and that you can dip a pine cone in melted grease or oil, coat it with seeds, and hang it from a tree branch for a makeshift bird feeder. Heated oil can be unpredictable when poured, so it is better to wait a while before attempting the disposal. In most states, commercial kitchens have strict laws governing the disposal of kitchen fats, namely mandated grease traps and waste collection that transports large quantities of used grease and oil to be converted into biofuel. How to Dispose of Cooking Oil. Follow Maker's Cleaning Cloths: http://MakersClean.comWatch more Clean My Space videos here! "Never put any amount of grease or oil down the drain or in the toilet," says Elizabeth Balkan, director of food waste for the Natural Resources Defense Council. Puncture the dome of the old oil filter and drain the excess oil from it into your oil pan. For the most part, home cooks don't have those options. Of course, that's only if you're home-composting. 2) You should pour the oil into a sealable container. Repurposing Old pots And Pans Old worn out Pans. Cooking oil puts out about the same amount of light as a candle. Hopefully, you’ve stopped short of dumping it down the sink! http://bit.ly/CleanMySpaceYTJoin the CleanMySpace.com Community! Do you tend to cook greasy, oily foods? Whether you use lard, shortening, or liquid oil, we’ve got the 411. For the rest of us, the best way to deal with used grease and oil is to first ask: "Can I reuse it?" If it’s sent to a biodiesel plant, it is filtered and processed into fuel that can be burned in most diesel engines, like trucks. Doing so can cause clogs in home drain lines and contribute to larger clogs in municipal lines, which is why most communities have regulations against it. A peanut butter jar is a great choice for storing your cooking oil. If you do this, it will eventually end up in the sewer system and cause clogs there. It is easy to clean your pans in the kitchen sink and pour the oil down the drain, however oils can build up in pipes and eventually clog your sewage system. The Best Way To Dispose Of Used Cooking Oil. At some point, however, the old cooking oil residues and the deep-frying fat have to be changed, because old … April 15, 2020 September 2, 2020 BBuckley Cooking Oils, Cooking Techniques. We'll discuss several alternative ways to dispose of grease, but we'll stress the most environmentally-friendly methods first and foremost. If your community has curbside collection for food scraps, small amounts of used cooking oil can be soaked up in used paper towels or newspaper and then added to your curbside organics bin. How to dispose of cooking oil in small quantities; Start by waiting for the oil to cool down. The barrels are then collected by Eden Green Energy, a vegetable oil recycli Whether you’re pan frying fish in vegetable oil or faced with a skillet full of liquid fat from your breakfast bacon, you’re probably going to have to figure out how to dispose of the used oil. Pro Tip: If you plan on reusing the oil later, make sure that the container is clean. but I still don't use it fast enough before it goes bad. RELATED: Scientists Have Found A Way To Recycle McDonald's Cooking Oil With 3D Printer. It clogs your pipes and our sewer system.. How To: Dispose of Cooking Oil After you finish frying and feasting, be sure to properly and safely dispose of the cooking oil. Like we saw above, you often end up with leftover cooking oil after deep frying or browning beef. Whenever there's an excess of spent grease or oil in your kitchen, let it cool slightly, then pour it into your chosen vessel. Let’s say you already tried salvaging that pot, as we discussed above to no success. Wash your … Hand Cleaner- Paint is one of the hardest things to get off your hands. In this article, we will elaborate on all things recycling and/or removing used olive oil from your home. Disclosure: BobVila.com participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for publishers to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Cooking oil is one of the main culprits for clogged pipes at home, find out how best to dispose of it. Getting rid of old cooking oil is as easy as taking out the trash -- or the recycling. If none of the above are options for you, there is one last cooking oil–disposal resort: keep a closed vessel in arm's reach of your stove. The world's sewers are headed straight for an aneurysm of hair and congealed fat. … Continue reading "What to Do with Used Cooking Oil" Therefore, it’s important to know how to dispose of cooking oil properly. Whenever there's an excess of spent grease or oil in your kitchen, let it cool slightly, then pour it into your chosen vessel. Pour the oil into the container, screw the cap on tight, and toss it in the trash. Learning how to dispose of olive oil or any other cooking fat requires caution. If you want to dispose of spent cooking grease, the best way to do it is to pour the fat into a sealable container that you're fine with throwing away. What Not to Do With Cooking Fat, Oil, and Grease. By Glenda Taylor. In fact, sunflower oil is probably the best oil you can use in your garden since sunflowers are a soil cleansing plant. Reuse the Oil You can dispose of used cooking oil or grease properly at specialized sites. Earth911.com maintains an interactive search to determine which types of recyclable materials are being collected in your community. It isn't the greatest option for an environmentally conscious cook, but it's the best one we have right now. To reduce the risk of accidentally burning yourself, let the cooking oil cool completely before you dispose of it. If it goes to a processor, the anaerobic digestion process will break down the oil and any other organic ingredients without oxygen into a gas that can be used as alternative energy. Seal the filter in a plastic bag and recycle with the used oil; it will still contain several ounces of oil. Please note that I live in an upstairs flat with no access to a garden or backyard, and the … It's important residents use the correct disposal method for their fats, oil … Butcher blocks and cutting boards benefit from it also. Therefore, it’s important to know how to dispose of cooking oil properly. Use it for conditioning and polishing furniture. According to the US EPA, somewhere between 380 and 800 million gallons of waste oil are collected by professional oil recycling services for reuse. Have you heard? That not only helps reduce the need for fossil fuel production, it’s the greenest thing to do. Eventually, all cooking oil will become rancid. as fire starters in your fireplace or charcoal chimney since fats are highly combustible. Businesses are legally required to dispose of used cooking oil appropriately, and can face significant fines for not complying with disposal regulations. wikihow.comImage: wikihow.comPut the sealed container with the cooking oil in it into your food waste bin. Being very careful, pour the oil directly into the bag on top of the other garbage. Since 1995, Epicurious has been the ultimate food resource for the home cook, with daily kitchen tips, fun cooking videos, and, oh yeah, over 33,000 recipes. There’s a limit to how many times you can reuse oil, though, so give it a sniff test before use. Used cooking oil can be recycled into biofuels . It’s … Love cooking those French fries, donuts, and other delicious treats but stumped by what to do with the oil when you’re done? Prepare oil for transport using a sealable oil pan, or pour it into a polyethylene container that … An open letter to bacon grease: you don't have to go down the drain, but you can't stay here. Repurposing means to use something or modifying it to serve a purpose it wasn’t originally intended to do. I typically hold on to the plastic bottles in which many cooking oils are packaged, specifically for this purpose. The trash should help to soak up some of the oil and reduce potential mess. Use a clean plastic container with a sturdy lid or screw-on top. Save old oil in a used container until it is time to empty the litter box; dump the oil into the litter before tossing out. I buy the smallest possible bottle (1 pt., 8 oz.) Pouring cooking oil down the drain may seem harmless, but the oil often sticks to the insides of pipes. Save the oil for later. Still not your dice? The cooking oil recycling process depends on where the oil is sent. The cooking oil recycling process depends on where the oil is sent. Store this in a sealable container for disposal. This guide explains how to tell if yours needs to be disposed of and gives you the best options for how to dispose of cooking oil in a safe, responsible manner. When the vessel is full, chill it overnight so the fat solidifies, then toss in into your regular trash bin. Collect used cooking oil in a resealable container, such as an old coffee can. To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. To turn it even more into solid waste, mix it with an absorbent substance like flour, sawdust, or cat litter. Use melted, cooled grease in any way you might use vegetable oil for savory applications (cornbread, roasted potatoes, or any roasted vegetable for that matter). Here’s what commercial kitchens can do with used cooking oil. Most municipal compost collection facilities won't allow grease or oil with your weekly drop off, so check your local rules before your next weekend fry-up. Cooking oil collection services, such as Olleco, help businesses to recycle their waste cooking oil to produce biofuels, which can be used to replace fossil fuels used for transport. I rarely use canola oil for cooking, but was going to brown some beef short ribs in a large stockpot before putting them into the crockpot this morning. Pouring it out on the ground is also a no-no: The Environmental Protection Agency has determined that cooking oil, whether it’s vegetable-based (such as canola) or animal-based (such as lard), can “kill or injure wildlife” and cause a host of other environmental issues as well. You could potentially cause a blockage in your plumping which will just end up troublesome down the road, for you or someone else. Disposing of cooking oil in garden. According to Beth Porter, climate and recycling director for Green America, "Some municipal programs may offer curbside pick up for oil with detailed instructions, but most areas do not and ask that residents drop off collected used oil at specific locations." You can check your zip code against the search term cooking oil on Earth 911 to find out if you're in the minority. Pour the oil into the container, screw the cap on tight, and toss it in the trash. In fact, if you’re eco-conscious, you may be able to dispose of old cooking oil at a recycling center that will then send it off to be transformed into biodiesel fuel. Here are a few tips that will allow you to cook with oil and dispose of it, too. If not, collect all your oil in a container and take it to your local recycling centre. Copyright © 2021 Acton Media Inc. All rights reserved. Whether it is frying bacon, browning ground beef or deep-frying turkeys, we end up with a lot of oil at the end of the day. Carefully pour the used cooking oil into the container and screw the lid on as tightly as possible. But it may not be as much of a no-brainer as you’d think. Getting rid of old cooking oil is as easy as taking out the trash -- or the recycling. I have a deep-fryer containing about 3 liters of cooking oil that is now getting old and nasty. If you started with liquid cooking oil, however, such as peanut oil or safflower oil, don’t expect it to thicken too much when it cools. Solving a Messy Problem If your city offers an oil recycling program, place the oil in a coffee can or another secure container, then place the container in a warm room so it remains fluid until you take it to the recycling facility. Use old oil in your garden. "Never put any amount of grease or oil down … To dispose of olive oil you can recycle it, compost it, or throw it away. If you do not have curbside food scraps collection, small amounts of soaked up cooking oil would go into your household garbage. You agree that BobVila.com may process your data in the manner described by our Privacy Policy. We are always told not to pour it down the sink. What would be the consequences if I did? So be patient and let it cool off completely first. Cool the cooking oil before you handle it. Ad Choices, How to Properly Dispose of Cooking Oil and Grease, Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell, The $10 Tool That Can Keep Your Kitchen Cleaner. Bacon grease or schmaltz (aka chicken grease) are well known cooking agents. If you’re not sure, rub a bit of oil between your forefinger and thumb: Fresh oil will feel smooth and light, but a sticky or tacky consistency indicates that it’s time to toss. Caused by solidified cooking oils that pick up debris and expand, becoming enormous obstructions in the sewer system, these early clogs may be museum-worthy, but they're also destructive (and dangerous to the workers who try to remove them). If dealing with shortening and lard, scoop its congealed form into an empty shortening tin or coffee can and pop on the lid. Don’t get rid of grease using any of these methods: Source: Roto-Rooter. It’s an organic matter that can be composted to enrich the soil. Not only are fat, oil, and grease messy to clean, but they're also hard to dispose of. Epicurious may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. Well then, don’t pour that excess bacon grease down the drain! The trash can is the right way to dispose of cooking oil, but people often dispose of grease and cooking oil in other ways that are not advisable. To keep it in read-to-fry condition, strain the oil through a coffee filter or a few layers of cheesecloth to remove any crumbs or bits of food. If you're not into enjoying the glory of grease, maybe your pets are? If it goes to a processor, the anaerobic digestion process will break down the oil and any other organic ingredients without oxygen into a gas that can be used as alternative energy. Don't pour fats, oil or grease down the drain or toilet. If you regularly prepare fried foods with small amounts of cooking oil that you don’t intend to reuse, consider purchasing a grease keeper. Reusing it is always an option, but if it is spoilt, there are easy ways of getting rid of it. Beware of cooking meat or fish repeatedly in oil, though. Collect the used oil for recycling. Avoid using glass, Balkan warns, since glass has a tendency to shatter and "enhances the risk of injury to sanitation workers." There are a few different options when it comes to cooking oil disposal but which one you use will depend on the quantity of used oil you have to dispose of. Always dispose of food waste, including cooking oils and fats, by placing them in a sealed container in your general waste. 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