Westmont, Illinois – Date Issued: November 16, 2023
Residents are encouraged to recycle their used vegetable cooking oil on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, November 25, from 9:00 a.m. to Noon. To prepare your used oil for recycling, allow it to cool, pour it into a container with a lid, and bring your used vegetable cooking oil to a cooking oil recycling collection location to be recycled into biofuel.
PLEASE NOTE: No bacon grease or other solid animal fats will be accepted as part of this collection.
NOV. 25 VEGETABLE COOKING OIL RECYCLING LOCATIONS
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2023 - Various Times Listed
- Downers Grove Sanitary District (DGSD) - 2710 Curtiss Street, Downers Grove - 9am-noon
- Glenbard Wastewater Authority - 21W551 Bemis Road, Glen Ellyn - 9am-noon
- Elmhurst Public Works - 985 S. Riverside Drive, Elmhurst - 9am-noon
- Naperville Household Hazardous Waste Facility - 156 Fort Hill Drive, Naperville - 9am-2pm
- Wood Dale - 720 N. Central Avenue, Wood Dale - 9am-noon
- SCARCE - 800 S. Rohlwing Road (Rt 53), Addison - 9am-noon
WEEKLY COOKING OIL DROP-OFF PROGRAM AT DGSD
In addition to the one day event on November 25, cooking oil can be dropped off in a sealed container at the Downers Grove Sanitary District during regular business hours. The Downers Grove Sanitary District and the DuPage County Stormwater Management Department have partnered with SCARCE, a local environmental non-profit organization, to be a permanent collection site for used vegetable cooking oil.
WHAT IS FOG?
People are encouraged to recycle their used cooking oil instead of pouring it down the drain or disposing of it in the garbage. When fats, oils, and grease (FOG) are poured down the drain, they may harden in your pipes or sewer lines and potentially cause a blockage and sewer backup. FOG comes from meats, butter, cooking oil, lard, sauces, dressings, and dairy products. Even if hot water is running when it goes down the drain, cooking oils and fats solidify as soon as they reach cold pipes. Following are some helpful tips for addressing FOG.
- For larger amounts of grease or animal fat, which can solidify at room temperature, allow it to cool and pour into a plastic container with a lid. Store it under the sink until it’s full, then place it in the trash.
- When cleaning up, scrape leftover food into the trash, don’t send it down the sink. This saves water and prevents trace fats from clogging your pipes.
- After allowing pans to cool, wipe them out with a rag or paper towel before you wash them to remove excess fat and oil.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Sewer line maintenance tips - dgsd.org/maintain-sewer-line
SCARCE website - scarce.org
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