Growing up, my mother would always yell at me for putting plates covered in oils and fats into the sink or dishwasher without first wiping them off. The same went for pans and pots. I never could understand it until now. It is not okay, nor is it a good idea, to chuck cooking fat down the drain pipes. This is where a vegetable oil bottle comes in handy. My mother would be proud!
What people do not realize is that oil used for cooking can very often be filtered at least once. Meaning that oil can be reused if needed. That said, if you are using cheaper oil like canola, you might not want to bother with all that extra admin.
This is why you should keep a vegetable oil bottle handy
When you have a pot or pan with oil inside of it, rather than chucking it down your pipes, using the very same vegetable oil bottle the oil once came from is an amazing idea. All one needs to do is pour the used oil into the bottle, and then chuck it into the bin! Of course, any container would probably do, but, many do not seal as well as old vegetable oil bottles do. Especially do not be tempted to use an old coffee tin, these are very prone to leakages!
What happens when you pour vegetable oil down the drain?
So, how bad is it to pour your oil down the drain, as opposed to using a vegetable oil container to get rid of the waste? Turns out, the consequences can be so much worse than one often realizes! Did you know that in many parts of the world, it is actually illegal to chuck oil down drains? According to SeQuential, this is why: [1]
Sewers are full of chemicals from cleaning supplies, the oxidization of pipe systems, and decomposing waste. When cooking oil comes into contact with these chemicals, they react together and form a new soapy, waxy substance known as a fatberg. As they form, they stick to the walls of sewers and collect bits of other debris that adhere to their surface. These fatbergs keep growing and growing over time, sometimes reaching over 100 tons in weight!
Recycling your used oil
If you do not plan to filter and clean your used oil. You can also recycle it! Once you have filled up your vegetable oil bottle, your oil can be dropped off or collected. Many people think that this option is only reserved for restaurants. But, many companies who offer oil recycling will happily collect from homes, and, often, the collection is for free! These companies process it into biodiesel, a clean-burning renewable fuel that can be used in place of regular diesel!
It is obvious that there is no excuse for pouring oil down the drain! We hope our vegetable oil bottle idea will help you on your journey to being greener and making sure your home is not part of the problem!
- ‘Pouring Cooking Oil Down the Drain: What West Coasters Need to Know’ SeQuential. Published May 20, 2020