Don’t let waste grease clog up drains
Scottish Water is encouraging customers to help keep the water cycle going by disposing of cooking fats, oils and grease responsibly during the festive season and beyond.
The water company’s advice applies to what to do with the greasy goo left over after cooking roast potatoes, joints of meat and basted birds.
Cooking fats, oils and grease poured down the sink or drain can build up and cause blockages and ‘fatbergs’in drains and sewer pipes.
The waste water drain which runs from homes to the public sewer is usually only about four inches wide, which is less than the diameter of a DVD.
When waste water cannot drain away properly and it can cause extremely unpleasant internal sewage flooding and environmental pollution.
Scottish Water’s advice for disposing of cooking fats, oils and grease responsibly is simple:
*Leave to cool and if you have a food waste recycling bin, scrape the cooled fat, oil or grease into your food waste bin.
*If you don’t have food waste recycling, put the waste in a saleable container (such as an empty jar) and put it in the bin.
* Wipe things such as greasy baking trays and frying pans, after cooking, with kitchen roll to mop up excess fats, oils and grease.
*To cool fat, oil or grease quickly in the kitchen for disposal, put in a container in the fridge. This also helps prevent smells.
Brian Lironi, Scottish Water’s director of external communications, said:“Our campaign is working and has contributed to a sizeable reduction in the number of blocked drains and sewers across Scotland.
“However, this means there are still 36,000 blockages every year, most of which could be avoided.
Fat and grease from households and businesses are a problem for Scottish Water
“We thank customers who have listened and taken time to think and act responsibly.”