Ironhouse Sanitary District Asks You to Love Your Pipes This Holiday Season

The Ironhouse Sanitary District reminds City of Oakley and Bethel Island residents to don’t invite a FOG CLOG to Thanksgiving.

Residents are encouraged to bring their kitchen Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG) to Ironhouse for proper disposal. Save your kitchen grease in a container over the Thanksgiving holiday and bring it to Ironhouse’s FOG Recycling Event on Saturday, Dec 2, from 9 a.m. to noon. 450 Walnut Meadows Drive, Oakley (Cross Streets Rose Ave., Main Street, Districts Way).

According to the Ironhouse Sanitary District, FOG can cause serious sewage issues and costly repairs for homeowners. Clogged pipes can overflow into homes, yards, streets, and the Delta. Everyday washing of plates, pots, pans, and cooking equipment – such as turkey fryers – sends FOG down the drain, which will eventually build up in the sewer system over time.

While FOG may not seem harmful as a warm liquid, it’s a different story once it cools. FOG collects in the piping system over time and can cause major system problems and breakdowns for ISD. As the liquid cools, the fat, grease, and oil congeal, causing blockages not only in your pipes but also in the public sewer system and interior pipes.

Here are five ways you can fight holiday FOG 

• Keep your house sink drains fat-free. Cool it, can it, and bring it to ISD for proper recycling. Pour cooled fats, oils, and grease carefully into a container with a lid on it.
• It’s not just FOG. In addition to fats, oils, and grease, FOG can come from meat fats, lard, shortening, butter, and margarine.
• When in doubt, throw it out. Food scraps containing FOG belong in the trash. Even if you have a garbage disposal in your sink, leftover FOG from cooked substances can build up and leave your pipes needing major cleaning and possibly a costly plumbing bill.
• Scrape your plate. Scrape all your remaining food scraps from your plates, pots, pans, and fryers into your trashcan before you wash your dishes. Before washing your plates and cooking supplies, use a paper towel to absorb excess FOG and toss it in the trash. Avoid the garbage disposal and use something as simple as a strainer in your sink to catch unwanted food scraps.

Recycle FOG. Did you know that Ironhouse Sanitary District has a FOG recycling program where residents can drop off cooking fats, oils, and grease at our FOG building at located off Main Offices in Oakley? ISD works with a company that collects the FOG from us and recycles it into biodiesel.

This holiday season, and all year long, give yourself the gift of clogged-free pipes and the community the gift of clean water. Love Your Pipes by putting your sink on a fat-free diet. Drop your FOG off at Ironhouse Sanitary District, 450 Walnut Meadows Drive (cross streets Main Street, Rose Avenue, and Districts Way), Oakley.

ISD’s Saturday opening this holiday season takes place on Dec. 2 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. For more information on FOG, see ISD’s website at http://ironhousesanitarydistrict.com/237/Fats-Oils-and-Grease-FOG

Previous ISD Stories:

• June 3 – Ironhouse Sanitary District Recycled Water Fill Station Now Open
• March 25 – Ironhouse Sanitary District Gives Update on Jersey Island Plans, Storm Damages
• Jan 10 – Morrow: Storm Impacting Ironhouse Sanitary District Infrastructure