Fats, Oils, and Grease Management
About Fats, Oils, and Grease Management
Fats, oils, and grease (FOG) enter the sewer system when poured down drains in restaurants, homes, apartments, industry, and public facilities. FOG is often disposed of improperly during food preparation and cleanup. When poured down the drain, FOG can build up, blocking sanitary sewer lines and potentially causing sewer backups into your home and sewage overflows in the water system.
As a byproduct of cooking, FOG is usually found in:
- Butter, lard, and shortening.
- Cooking oil.
- Meat scraps and grease.
- Baking goods.
- Sauces.
- Sour cream.
- Gravy.
- Mayonnaise.
- Salad dressings.
- Food scraps.
Follow these steps instead of pouring FOG down the drain:
Pour
Pour cooled oil, fats, and grease into a can or other container with a tight lid and dispose of it in the trash can.
Scrape
Scrape fats, oils, and grease into the trash. Compost food scraps at the city’s food scraps compost drop-off sites.
Wipe Off
Wipe off dishes, pots, pans, and cooking utensils with a dry paper towel before rinsing or washing.
Food Service Establishments
Proper disposal of fats, oils, and grease helps businesses save money and keep facilities clean. The City of Rockville performs yearly inspections of food service establishments for proper FOG management and requires that all establishments discharging wastewater with more than 100 milligrams per liter of FOG into the sanitary sewer or storm drain install and properly maintain a grease interceptor and practice proper grease disposal. Establishments should review best management practices for FOG prevention and can download the grease abatement system maintenance log.
Contact
Becc Jimenez
Public Works Department
Environmental Management Division
240-314-8876
rjimenez@rockvillemd.gov
Hours
Monday – Friday
8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.