Cool, contain, trash: City of Casper reminds residents not to dump oil down their drains

CASPER, Wyo. — The holiday season is here, and with that comes a lot of cooking. Of course, any good holiday meal contains foods with a lot of butter and oil, so the City of Casper is reminding residents not to discard their leftover fats, oils, and grease — collectively referred to as FOGs — down their drains.

That reminder is coming from the City of Casper via a release, reminding residents that dumping their FOGs could result in sewer backups at their residence and in the city’s main sewer line.

“Cooking is a central aspect of the holiday season. Cleanup nearly always has us disposing of FOGs,” said Wastewater Collection Manager Matt Wilhelms. “While it might not seem like a few ounces of bacon grease, cheese sauce, or butter going down the drain can have a big impact, FOGs react with other liquids and solids in our sewer pipes that create fatbergs and clogs.”

The release states that four sewer backups due to FOGs have already happened this year in Casper.

With that in mind, the city is reminding residents to remember three simple steps when it comes to discarding their fats, oils and grease.

• Cool: Give FOGs in their liquid form time to cool to avoid melting containers or causing burns.
• Contain: Dispose of FOGs in a container that can be sealed, such as glass jars, deli meat containers, or any solid receptacle with a lid.
• Trash: Toss the FOG-filled container in a trashcan.

It’s as simple as 1-2-3 and could mean the difference between a holiday dream and a holiday nightmare.

The city also offered a few examples of notorious FOGs so that residents can know what, exactly, they should cool, contain and trash. “Frequently used FOGs include butter, lard, cream-based sauces, fat trimmings from meat, gravy, pan drippings from roasted meats, butter-based sauce leftovers, and common cooking oils like olive, vegetable, and canola oils,” the release states.

A full list of FOGs can be found at the City of Casper website.