Food - Drink
The Quickest Way To Dispose Of Used Cooking Oil
By TALIN VARTANIAN
It's often tempting to pour the hot oil down the sink after cooking, so it can just flow through pipes like water — the problem is, hot oil isn't like water. SeQuential explains that it is actally illegal to pour hot oil down the drain, since this can create waxy "fatbergs" that are harmful to the environment.
"Fatbergs" are formed when hot oil reacts with waste and chemicals in sewers, and as they grow in size from the debris that sticks to them, they can clog pipes and cause bursting. Additionally, continuously pouring oil down the drain can damage city sewer mains, drainage fields, and distribution lines.
Instagram user Washy Wash shared a post on how to dispose of oil safely: sprinkle some baking soda into the cooking vessel, mix it with a wooden spoon until a light brown paste forms, scrape it onto a sheet of baking paper, and throw it in the trash. Baking soda cuts through grease and oil due to its alkaline properties, without damaging your pots and pans.