Vegetable Oil

Do not pour oil down your home drains or down street drains. Grease is a major cause for sanitary sewer drain blockages. Since fats, oils and grease are lighter than water, they tend to accumulate at the top and sides of sewer pipes and can build up until a blockage occurs. If a blockage happens, the sewer backs up or overflows resulting in property and environmental damage. Property owners are responsible for the maintenance, repair, and cleaning of the service line from the house to the municipal main line, so pouring oil and grease into your drains has the potential to cost you money for a plumbing service call.

Pourable vegetable oil is accepted for bio-diesel processing at household hazardous waste collection centers in Kentwood and Grand Rapids. Non-hydrogenated oils (those that remain liquid at room temperature) such as natural canola, soybean, safflower, sunflower, cottonseed, olive and peanut oils will be accepted at these sites by appointment.

Partially hydrogenated and hydrogenated oils such as shortening, bacon grease and lard (which begin to form a solid at room temperature) are not accepted. These types of oils must be solidified before being put in the trash. Adding kitty litter or another absorbent to the containerized oil will solidify it. Once solidified, put these containers in your trash.

An appointment is required prior to bringing pourable vegetable oils to the Kentwood or Grand Rapids household hazardous waste centers.

Restaurants interested in recycling quantities of cooking oils should contact Organicorp directly at www.organicorpinc.com/.