Eliminating Fats, Oils and Grease from our Sewers

Grease buildup in a sewer.

"One of the best ways people can keep fats and grease out of the sewer is to keep it out of their drains. Not only does it help prevent sewer system overflows, it can help people avoid their own costly plumbing problems."

-- Christie True, Director, Wastewater Treatment Division

Just as grease clogs your arteries, it clogs the local sewer district's and County's arteries—the sewer system.

Where does grease come from?

Most of us know grease as a byproduct of cooking. Grease is found in such things as:

Meat fats
Lard
Cooking oil
Shortening
Butter and margarine
Food scraps
Baked goods
Sauces
Dairy products

Don't pour grease down the sink! Too often, grease is washed into the plumbing system, usually through the kitchen sink. Grease sticks to the inside of sewer pipes (both on your property and in the streets). Over time, the grease can build and block the entire pipe.

Home garbage disposals do not keep grease out of the plumbing system. These units only shred solid material into smaller pieces and do not prevent grease from going down the drain.

Commercial additives, including detergents that claim to dissolve grease, may pass grease down the line and cause problems in other areas.

The results of a grease-blocked sewer pipe can be:

Raw sewage overflowing in your home or your neighbor's home
An expensive and unpleasant cleanup that often must be paid for by you, the homeowner (the average cleanup cost is about $3,000; this does not include replacing carpets and repairing walls)
Potential contact with disease-causing organisms
An increase in operation and maintenance costs by the local sewer department and King County, which causes higher sewer bills for customers.

Please do your part to keep fats, oils and greases out of the sewer

Pour grease into a container, let cool, and throw in the trash. Refer to the links on the right for proper disposal of fats, oils and greases.

For questions about the Wastewater Treatment Division Web site, please send an e-mail message. For general information about the division, contact us at:

Department of Natural Resources and Parks
Wastewater Treatment Division
201 S. Jackson St., Suite 505
Seattle, WA 98104-3855
Phone: 206-684-1280
Fax: 206-684-1741
Telecommunication device for the deaf (TTY): 711

Updated: May 7, 2008

Related Information:
WTD Industrial Waste

Local Hazardous Waste Program in King County

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