Somewhere in your mind, the nostalgia of mealtime with the family roams. Your designated clean-up day arrives. There was one significant rule you could not disobey, DON'T DUMP GREASE DOWN THE SINK! Dump it in the trash.

Today you find yourself in your kitchen, cast-iron full of fats, oils, and grease (FOG). You catch yourself before pouring it over the sink. That voice echoes, and the feeling in your gut brings you to a halt.

It's not a myth, and the Orange County Sanitation District (OCSAN) tells us why. Disposing of FOG down the sink causes blockages that lead to sewage spills and environmental disasters. When blockages reach their capacity, they cause back-ups through sinks, drains, and toilets, affecting homes, businesses, water systems, and local ecosystems. Not to mention a costly bill, along with liability and property damages.

In March 2022, approximately 30,000 - 40,000 gallons of sewage flowed into Long Beach waters from a grease clogged sewage line in Paramount. This resulted in 7 miles of public beaches closing. Unfortunately, this wasn't the first incident.

Making a habit out of these simple steps can help prevent sewage overflows:

Keep a strainer in your drain to collect food and solids.
Let your fats, oils, and grease cool before placing them in the trash.
Scrape, wipe, and discard excess grease from pots and pans before washing.
Use absorbent materials (paper towels, coffee grounds, or kitty litter) to mix with FOG.
Pour FOG in a jar until it solidifies, then put in the trash.
Reuse grease when possible.

Businesses should also follow these guidelines along with LA Sanitation’s (LASAN) comprehensive program to reduce FOG discharged to the sewer system, including regulatory control of food service establishments, public outreach to residencies, and improved preventative maintenance.