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Protect Our Water Resources and Our Infrastructure

Properly Dispose of Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG)

Improperly disposing of fats, oils, and grease (FOG) by pouring them down drains or toilets can lead to serious plumbing issues, including sewer line blockages and overflows, and costly damage to the new Water Resources Center on South Bay Boulevard. By following the simple guidelines listed below, you can help maintain the integrity of our sewer system, protect our Water Resources Center, and safeguard our water resources and local environment.

Think Before You Sink: A Guide to What You Can and Can’t Flush Down the Drain

When cleaning up after cooking, it can be tempting to wash leftover ingredients and food scraps down the drain. But did you know that keeping oil, food scraps, and leftover waste out of your sink can prevent household pipe damage? Remember to think before you sink to protect your home and Morro Bay’s water resources, infrastructure, and the environment.

What NOT to Put Down the Drain

❌ Medications (Learn more about proper medication disposal here.)

❌ Grease, Oils & Fats (FOG), including meats, cooking oils, lard, shortening and butter

❌ Egg shells

❌ Coffee grounds

❌ Paint

❌ Car fluids

❌ Produce stickers

❌ Cleaning products

❌ Wipes of any kind

What to Flush or Put Down the Drain

✅ Human waste

✅ Toilet paper

✅ Water

Wipes Clog Pipes!

Even wipes labeled as “flushable” don’t break down the same way as toilet paper, leading to clogged pipes in your home and ultimately, severe damage to public wastewater systems. The cost of removing blockages can reach up to $500,000, so approach “flushable” claims with caution and only flush toilet paper!

Why It Matters 

  • Protect Pipes and the new Water Resources Center: Fats, oils and grease can clog our infrastructure and lead to costly damage with the technology used at the Water Resources Center.
  • Keep Our Environment Clean: The vast majority of sewer overflows are attributed to fats, oils and grease. Here in Morro Bay, we need to protect our local waterways and beaches.

Best Practices for Disposal

So, how can you properly dispose of fats, oils, and grease without flushing it down the drain? Here are some recommended best practices:

Residential Do’s & Don’ts

Do

  1. Scrape it, don’t drain it: Freeze the grease or oil and then scrape the hardened oil into a trash bin.
  2. Mix oils with unscented kitty litter, sawdust, or sand to solidify the oil (Avoid scented or disinfectant types of kitty litter as they can react with the oil and cause a fire), then dispose in the trash can.
  3. Scrape grease and food residue from dishes and pans into a garbage bag before placing them into your dishwasher or sink.
  4. Use a paper towel to wipe small amounts of cooking oil, such as meat drippings, and throw the paper towel in the trash.
  5. Frying oils can generally be stored for up to 6 months and can be reused for up to 6 hours of frying time. Store oil in the original container after cooling and strain for foreign materials as it is being poured back into the container.

Don’t

  1. Pour household grease into sinks, garbage disposals or other drains. This is one of the major contributors to sewer stoppages.
  2. Flush grease, diapers, sanitary napkins, newspapers, soiled rags, and/or paper towels down toilets.
  3. Pour oil or grease into a storm drain, it is the same as pouring it directly into a lake.

Commercial Do’s & Don’ts

Do

  1. Have grease interceptors or traps inspected, maintained, and cleaned regularly.
  2. Install no grease signs around sinks to remind employees to avoid dumping fry grease and other fat products down the drain.
  3. Scrape grease and food residue from dishes and pans into a garbage bag before placing them into your dishwasher or sink.
  4. Allow grease to cool to a safe temperature after cooking before disposal.
  5. Only dispose of fat and grease in an approved container or by an approved method.
  6. Visit the South San Luis Obispo County Sanitation District’s FOG Control Program for Food Service Establishments page for more information.

Don’t

  1. Pour grease into sinks, garbage disposals or other drains. This is one of the major contributors to sewer stoppages.
  2. Flush grease, diapers, sanitary napkins, newspapers, soiled rags, and/or paper towels down toilets.
  3. Pour oil or grease into a storm drain, it is the same as pouring it directly into a lake.
  4. Ignore your grease trap maintenance schedule.

Properly Dispose of Expired or Unwanted Medicines

The San Luis Obispo County Integrated Waste Management Authority (IWMA) offers a medicine mail-back service for residents to properly dispose of expired or unwanted medication.

Click here for more information and to find a Mail-Back Distribution Location near you!