Proper disposal of used cooking oil/fat/grease

[bloviatrix]

I'm looking for suggestions on how to get rid of oil that's been used for deep frying. I keep a supply of jars and empty yogurt containers that I pour oil in and toss them down the garbage shoot, but I can't help but think there's a better method.

What do you do with the "dead" oil when you fry?

[NeroW]

Aw, hell. I'm gonna' go out on a limb here, and tell you all:

I pour it down the drain.

You only live once.

[Nick]

It ends up in containers with me wondering what to do with it - until I finally take it to the dump. But, I probably don't go through more than a couple quarts a year.

For anyone using more, try to find someone recycling it into "bio-diesel."

Nero, you're obviously on city sewer. Do that to a home septic system for long and you're looking at big bucks.

[bloviatrix]

Aw, hell.  I'm gonna' go out on a limb here, and tell you all:

I pour it down the drain. 

You only live once.

I used to flush it down the toilet, but then I felt guilty. That's part of the reason I'm looking for suggestions.

[pjs]

Oil is oil. To keep your conscience clear dispose of it at the same place you dispose of used motor oil. Usually at a receptacle at the the local fire station.

PJ

Edited August 3, 2003 by pjs (log)

[Katherine]

If your trash goes to an incinerator, you can put it in the trash without any guilt, as it will aid in the incineration process.

Most treatment plants are designed to handle oil (but not grease). I definitely would not pour it down the drain if you have a septic tank.

[ulterior epicure]

i have never ever known what to do with it... and avoid deep frying altogether because of this single reason. i'm craving some fried foods (homemmade).

could someone enlighten me? i don't have a professional deep fryer - just a big pot.

u.e.

[annanstee]

Alot of people filter the oil and reuse it. If you want to get rid of it easily, freeze it and then throw it away right when you are taking the garbage out.

[Carolyn Tillie]

Find your local BioDiesel club -- they are converting cars to run on used frying oil...

(I am serious - a friend of mine recently converted a Cadillac to run on BioDiesel and is in the process of selling the rest of his gasoline-driven cars).

[ulterior epicure]

...If you want to get rid of it easily, freeze it and then throw it away right when you are taking the garbage out.

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Really? Is that legal? I don't know why it wouldn't be, it just sound so environmentally unfriendly... but I guess disposal in any sense means returning it to the earth in some form... I guess I just assumed there was a more "friendly" form than just dirty grease...

U.E.

[ulterior epicure]

Find your local BioDiesel club -- they are converting cars to run on used frying oil...

(I am serious - a friend of mine recently converted a Cadillac to run on BioDiesel and is in the process of selling the rest of his gasoline-driven cars).

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Now there's an option with which I could live with myself... Who knew? [edited to add]: Boy, that was an awkwardly formed sentence... is that grammatically correct?

Anyway - Yay for chicken-fried cars!

U.E.

Edited February 6, 2006 by ulterior epicure (log)

[annanstee]

...If you want to get rid of it easily, freeze it and then throw it away right when you are taking the garbage out.

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Really? Is that legal? I don't know why it wouldn't be, it just sound so environmentally unfriendly... but I guess disposal in any sense means returning it to the earth in some form... I guess I just assumed there was a more "friendly" form than just dirty grease...

U.E.

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Geez, I hope so. If it isn't somebody speak up! I would never do it if it wasn't food grease or oil. I actually generally mix it with other fats and bird seed and put it out for the birds.

And if there is a biofuel plant in my area I would be happy to contribute to it.

[ulterior epicure]

I actually generally mix it with other fats and bird seed and put it out for the birds.

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so that's why birds are getting larger.... just kidding. seriously though, this is a novel idea - i never thought of it. what's your method? what do you feed birds?

u.e.

[annanstee]

I keep fat in a juice can and keep adding bird seed to it. Alot of birds need the extra calories in the winter. Essentially, it is like a homemande suet tray. I just mix in the same kind of seed that you would find in those- you do need to have some animal fat in there that is solid at room temperature.

[Smithy]

...If you want to get rid of it easily, freeze it and then throw it away right when you are taking the garbage out.

←

Really? Is that legal? I don't know why it wouldn't be, it just sound so environmentally unfriendly... but I guess disposal in any sense means returning it to the earth in some form... I guess I just assumed there was a more "friendly" form than just dirty grease...

U.E.

←

Geez, I hope so. If it isn't somebody speak up! I would never do it if it wasn't food grease or oil. I actually generally mix it with other fats and bird seed and put it out for the birds.

And if there is a biofuel plant in my area I would be happy to contribute to it.

←

It is legal to put cooking oils and fats in your household garbage, at least on a household level. That sort of thing is expected to go into your municipal solid waste landfill (MSW), and the landfill is designed for it. However, the other uses cited above are more friendly uses of the material. The whole idea of the MSW is to collect all the materials that go into it and keep them forever. The landfill is lined. Eventually it's capped to prevent precipitation from going in. Therefore, the fats aren't going back to the earth in any sense of recycling. Using them for fuel, either for your car (gosh, I like the sound of that) or the local wildlife is closer to actual reuse or recycling.

[Adrienne Carmack]

I've found that the easiest way to get rid of grease is to save things like old big ketchup bottles or canola/vegetable oil bottles and dump the grease into them. When they're full, I just throw the whole thing in the trash. I'm sure it's not any more environmentally friendly, but it's the least messy way to put it in the trash.

And if you're looking for good deep fried recipes, Emeril's recipe for fried eggplant on foodtv.com is super easy and is very versatile - I've used it for fish and other veggies like zucchini. I just use a deep pan, the kind with straight sides.

Edited February 6, 2006 by Adrienne Carmack (log)

[ulterior epicure]

I keep fat in a juice can and keep adding bird seed to it. Alot of birds need the extra calories in the winter. Essentially, it is like a homemande suet tray. I just mix in the same kind of seed that you would find in those- you do need to have some animal fat in there that is solid at room temperature.

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wow - not that i'd actually consider eating such a concoction, but it sounds like an irresistably good pumpkin-seed schmaltz at two-star michelin obauer restaurant in werfen, austria. yum... i'd be a happy bird!

u.e.

[FistFullaRoux]

It can go in the garbage everywhere, at least as far as I know. Cooking oil is not the same as motor oil. It's a food based product. It should go through the same degrading that any other foodstuffs do. Even if it were to get into the water supply in small amounts, it wouldn't kill ya. If it were in large amounts, it would make things a little murky for a while.

You may also want to check with a restaurant for their disposal techniques. Ever wonder where soap comes from? Recycled restaurant "grease" is one component, and is actually somewhat valuable. McDonald's has locks on their grease containers, and the waste is sold to processors for soap and animal feed, among other things. It's quite versatile.

Although, I think there is a way (I'd have to look for it again) to use it for a torch type thing outside to chase away mosquitos and such, if you don't mind your yard smelling like fries...

[ulterior epicure]

Although, I think there is a way (I'd have to look for it again) to use it for a torch type thing outside to chase away mosquitos and such, if you don't mind your yard smelling like fries...

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I'll pass on the McDonald's-scented patio party, but would love to contribute to the production of soap!!

This is great - thanks for all of the suggestion folks! Now I feel a lot less guilty/worried about frying up some cheese for my salad tomorrow!!

Ulterior Epicure.

[docsconz]

A friend of mine has a converted biodiesel car. He gets his fuel for free from a local restaurant who used to pay $100/month to have the used oil removed and disposed of. It's a nice win-win situation.

[rooftop1000]

The Warwick NY school sytem is using it for some of their busses now

tracey

[Hiroyuki]

Honestly, I can't see where the problem is. I have an oil container in the kitchen. After deep-frying, I put a sheet of oil filter paper on top of the container and pour in the oil. I reuse the oil for deep-frying, stir-frying, and so on. If the oil gets extremely dirty, then I put it in an empty milk carton and dispose of it like other raw garbage. (Of course, in Japan, it is prohibited to discharge oil into sewers.)

Some people use Katameru Tempuru (sp?) and similar products, which coagulate oil for easy disposal.

So, you mean you usually don't have an oil container, oil filter paper, or any of those oil coagulants in your country?

[docsconz]

Honestly, I can't see where the problem is.  I have an oil container in the kitchen.  After deep-frying, I put a sheet of oil filter paper on top of the container and pour in the oil.  I reuse the oil for deep-frying, stir-frying, and so on.  If the oil gets extremely dirty, then I put it in an empty milk carton and dispose of it like other raw garbage.  (Of course, in Japan, it is prohibited to discharge oil into sewers.)

Some people use Katameru Tempuru (sp?) and similar products, which coagulate oil for easy disposal.

So, you mean you usually don't have an oil container, oil filter paper, or any of those oil coagulants in your country?

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Certainly people use oil containers and filter paper, although I haven't seen any of the coagulants that you write of. Then again, we do very little deep-frying in our kitchen so it is not a big problem in my household.

[ulterior epicure]

Then again, we do very little deep-frying in our kitchen so it is not a big problem in my household.

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of course he doesn't - he's a doctor!!

i, for one, don't do it because it's messy, and, of course, my doctor tells me to be moderate on fried foods (like i listen)...

seriously, if you don't have a deep fryer, it's just a messy affair... and i do so little of it that it really doesn't justify investing in filters, converters, or any other semi-technologically/co-ordination-required device(s).

u.e.

Edited February 7, 2006 by ulterior epicure (log)

[Kim Shook]

We have a kind of 'wild' area across from our house that is frequented by bird, squirrels, etc. Mr. Kim just totes it over there in the pan once it has cooled down and dumps it there. I guess this is environmentally sound. We don't fry too often.