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1. What is FOG?

FOG refers to Fats, Oil, and Grease from food preparation and kitchen clean up. FOG is found in such things as:

• Meat fats (bacon grease, pan drippings, etc.)
• Food scraps
• Lard/Shortening
• Baking goods (uncooked batter and dough)
• Butter/Margarine
• Cooking oil
• Sauces
• Dairy products

2. Why should I care about FOG?

Residential households contribute FOG build-up in the sewer lines when grease is washed into the plumbing system, usually through the kitchen sink. FOG build-up must be physically removed from sewer lines by City of Moscow staff. This requires expensive equipment and is a time consuming process. FOG does not always wait until it gets to the city sewer lines before it starts accumulating on pipes. It can be a major contributor to many blockages in private sewer lines. When a blockage occurs within your plumbing system, you are responsible for removing the blockage. Doing so can range from inconvenient and unpleasant to quite expensive if a plumber’s service is required.

3. What can I do?

The  easiest way to solve the grease problem is to keep FOG out of the sewer  system in the first place. Follow the easy disposal tips listed below: 

• Never pour grease, fats, or oil down the drain or garbage disposal.
• Pour FOG into jars, cans, and plastic tubs (Careful, the liquid may be hot!) or "Fat Trapper" container. Let contents cool and solidify. When the container is full, throw away with your trash.
• Used cooking oil can be taken to the Moscow Recycling Center in sealed containers no larger than 5 gallons.
• For greasy pans, pour off the grease into a container mentioned above, and  use a paper towel to wipe out the remaining grease in the pan prior to  washing.
• Scrape as much of food scraps and residue as possible  from plates and cooking utensils into the garbage. A silicon scraper or  spatula works great!