November 25, 2008

CARY, NC – As part of its continuing commitment to environmental stewardship, the Town of Cary is offering citizens a convenient and safe option for disposing waste cooking oils this holiday season during a two-month pilot program designed to promote recycling cooking oils and grease into bio-fuel. Now through January 30, 2009 , Cary residents are encouraged to collect their cooking oils, fats and grease in a sealable container and contact the Town to schedule a pickup.  With a beneficial disposal option, the Town hopes that the program will be used long-term to help reduce sewer blockages/over flows, accidental spills and disposals in landfill. 

Residents wishing to participate in the pilot program can follow these four simple steps to recycle their cooking oils:

1.  Place waste cooking oils/grease in a sealable container that previously contained a food product.

2.  Label container "Waste Cooking Oil", and secure the cap/lid to prevent spillage.

3.  Call the Public Works & Utilities Customer Service line at 469-4090 to schedule a pick up (minimum pickup 1/2 gallon waste oils/grease during pilot program)

4.  Place waste cooking oil at the curb by 7 a.m. on day of scheduled collection

After the Town collects the oils curbside, the oil will be transported to the Town’s Public Works and Utilities Operation Center for pick-up by a local commercial bio-diesel producer.  The sealable containers will be recycled wherever possible.

“Once again, Cary is raising the bar for implementing innovative solutions to help protect our finite natural resources,” said Donald Smith, Utility Pretreatment Technician.  “Knowing that many people tend to use more cooking oils around Thanksgiving and Christmas, this was a good time to gage the capacity that we could expect if the program is implemented year-round.”

The pilot program is aimed at discouraging improper and illegal disposal of cooking fats, oils and grease (FOG) such as through the Town’s sanitary sewer system or through the storm water system.  In Cary , FOG contributed to 16 sewer overflows in 2006 and six overflows in 2007 for a total of 17,458 gallons of untreated wastewater being discharged over the two years because of FOG.

Currently, the Town does collect waste motor oils at the curb and actively recycles the motor oil.

For more, visit Fats, Oils and Grease Control at www.townofcary.org.

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