Save your pipes and help protect the environment this Thanksgiving. The Great Neck Water Pollution Control District (GNWPCD) will be collecting used cooking oil left over from holiday cooking, such as oil from turkey deep fryers. District residents and businesses may schedule a free at-home cooking oil and grease pickup for the day after Thanksgiving on Friday, Nov. 25, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Residents and non-district residents may also drop off oil and grease at the district office at 236 East Shore Rd. in Great Neck weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. during the holiday week, except for on Thursday.
“Flushing cooking oil or pouring liquid fat and grease down the drain negatively impacts the entire sewer collection system,” said GNWPCD Commissioner Steve Reiter. “These fatty compounds not only stick to the interiors of pipes in your homes and businesses, but also to the district’s pipes under the street.”
Excess grease and oils can be found in meat fats, cooking oils and marinades, as well as shortening, butter and margarine, which tend to be used more often in holiday cooking. When fats, cooking oil and grease are poured into a sink drain or flushed down a toilet, they congeal and reduce the inside diameter of homeowners’ pipes, causing buildup and eventual blockages that lead to expensive repairs.
“Knowing how to properly dispose of used cooking oil plays a significant role in protecting our environment,” said GNWPCD Commissioner Jerry Landsberg. “The district’s collection program helps enable the most efficient and environmentally friendly way of grease and cooking oil disposal.”
After the oil cools, collect excess grease and oil in a sealable container. During pick up, district staff will pour the oil from your deep fryer and containers into their collection vessel, which will be given to a recycling facility and converted to biofuel.
For more information or questions regarding the Food to Fuel program or to schedule a pick up, call 516-482-0238.
