Cooking oils are a liquid, but they don't get disposed of like most other food source liquids. Many people may dispose of these oils like other liquids, but that may cause problems. Let's see how to properly dispose of cooking oils in this guide.

The kitchen sink?

When disposing of most beverages or liquids used in cooking, the typical go-to is to pour everything down the sink. If you do this with cooking oil, though, you are in for an unpleasant surprise!

Some oils solidify while others stay extremely greasy, but either way, these oils can slowly build up in your pipes, causing blockages and drainage issues. Do you ever get that backup in your sink where the water won't drain? It could possibly be a buildup of oils in your pipes.

The bathroom?

Unfortunately, the bathroom drains will be similarly affected. Even if you add used cooking oil to the toilet, it can end up causing buildup and blockages. Never pour cooking oil in any drains in your home.

Backyard compost?

Cooking oils can decompose, but it may come with a cost. Animal-based oils, such as bacon fat or lard, will likely attract animals and pests. To avoid this, only add vegetable or plant-based oils to your compost.

In backyard aerobic composting, the drawback is that oil may decrease the airflow within the compost heap. If too much oil is added, it can cause water resistance, leading to drainage issues. Too much oil can also lead to unpleasant odors.

Organics collection?

There are some municipalities that accept cooking oil in their organics collection. Check with your local organics program if you have one to see if they accept this and how they require collection to take place, as there may be very specific instructions for this particular material.

Recycling?

Oil or containers with oil on them are not welcome in recycling. If you have oil bottles and want to recycle them because they are accepted glass or plastic, make sure that the oil is off the container by washing it thoroughly with soap.

There are some select recycling centers that may collect large quantities of cooking oil as a drop-off item, but this should never go in any curbside recycling bin. It's worth a look to see if your program may have this system!

Garbage?

Garbage is the likely disposal method for most municipalities. Here are some tips to keep it as clean as possible, so waste workers don't end up drenched!

• For small amounts of oil, use a paper towel, newspaper, oatmeal, sawdust, or even kitty litter to absorb the oil before tossing it in the trash.
• For less than a cup of oil, once cooled, place it in a sealable container to add to your trash.
• Let oils or grease solidify to harden, then deposit them in the garbage.

Household hazardous waste?

While cooking oil doesn't seem hazardous, many transfer stations that don't accept liquids in the garbage may require you to bring large amounts of cooking oil to a household hazardous waste center so they can dispose of it properly.

Please check if your municipality requires this method for quantities over one cup of oil. Always transport cooking oil in a sealable container.

Reuse?

While you can't dispose of oil in the recycling bin, it can actually be reused several times. If you are using cooking oils for frying, make sure to let it cool, then store it in a glass container in the refrigerator or freezer for up to a month. You should strain out any pieces of food before storing. If the oil starts to smell bad or turns another color, that's when you should dispose of it.

For oil or grease that solidifies, such as bacon fat, use a similar process of straining and storing in the refrigerator or freezer, but you must do this while the liquid is still hot so you can pour it. Then you can use it to fry up whatever you'd like next time you cook, as it will quickly liquify in the pan.

Look it up

It is important that you check with your municipal programs to find out the proper disposal in your area. Cooking oil can cause a lot of issues with drains or in recycling containers, so it is important that you properly dispose of it. Safely reusing oil, or recycling it at drop-off centers, organic collections, or household hazardous waste facilities are the most sustainable options to dispose of your cooking oils. But if these are not available options in your area, please make sure to dispose of oil in the garbage by storing it in a sealable container.