Residential Wastewater

Fats, Oils, Grit, and Grease (FOGG) 

The fats, oils, grease, and grit (FOGG) you put in your sink end up sticking inside sewer pipes. As the FOGG builds up, it blocks the flow, causing untreated wastewater to back up into homes and businesses. If everyone poured their FOGG down the drain, then manholes could overflow into parks, yards, streets, and storm drains. If that were to happen, our drinking water could get contaminated. That’s why it’s best to properly dispose of FOGG. 

Examples of FOGG: 

• Butter 
• Cooking oil 
• Grease 
• Food scraps 
• Lard 
• Margarine 
• Meat bits 
• Shortening 

Don’t Flush Medicine 

If you have any leftover medicine, do not flush it down the toilet or wash it down the sink. Although it might seem harmless, it’s not. Studies have found that flushed medications can contaminate our lakes and streams, which can hurt wildlife and potentially end up in our drinking water. 

There are plenty of safe medication take back locations across the Denver Metro. Click here for a list of safe places to dispose of your unwanted medications. You can find more safety disposal tips here. 

Tips for Safe FOGG Disposal 

• Pour the grease into an old coffee can or pickle jar. After the grease cools, you can throw the whole container into your trash bin. 
• Wipe out your pans before washing them in the sink. For greasy pans, pour the grease into a container and use a paper towel to wipe out the pan’s remaining grease before washing. 
• Seal the oil. Liquid should not exceed one-half gallon. Pour your liquid vegetable oil into a sealable, disposable container and then mix in an absorbent material such as kitty litter or coffee grounds. Then you can throw away the whole container. 
• You can keep your drains clean by pouring ½ cup of baking soda down the drain followed by a ½ cup of white vinegar. Wait 10-15 minutes and then rinse with hot water. 

What NOT to do with FOGG

• Don’t pour fat, oil, grease, or grit down drains or garbage disposals. 
• Don’t use hot water to wash grease off your pans. Although the hot water does turn the grease liquid so it flows down the drain, it will congeal in the pipes, causing problems.

Many people think that a garbage disposal can handle anything, but that is not the case. In fact, there are many things that should never be put down the drain, even with a garbage disposal. Some examples include fats, oils, grease, and grit (FOGG), which can build up in pipes and cause blockages. Other items that should never be put down the drain include coffee grounds, eggshells, bones, fruit pits, vegetable peels, and pasta. These items can all damage your garbage disposal and clog your pipes, leading to expensive repairs. It's important to properly dispose of these items in the trash or compost instead of down the drain.