Fats, oils and grease mean big trouble for your pipes - and your wallet

I Don't Flush campaign warns against pouring "FOG" down the drain

TORONTO, Nov. 20, 2017 /CNW/ - They're messy. They're smelly. And you probably want to get rid of them quickly after cooking a meal. But if they aren't disposed of properly, they can cause costly problems. They're fats, oils and grease also known as FOG.

Recognizing the need for public education on FOG disposal, the Ontario Clean Water Agency and the Clean Water Foundation – in conjunction with the Regional Municipality of York, Town of LaSalle, Niagara Region, City of Barrie and Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury – have launched the I Don't Flush 2017 campaign.

If fats, oils and grease (FOG) go down the drain, they can build up in pipes and cause clogs. Dispose of FOG in green bins. (CNW Group/Ontario Clean Water Agency)

If a FOG is poured down the drain, it eventually cools and hardens and can cause blockages in pipes and sewers. This can lead to basement flooding, sewage overflows into the environment and damage to municipal wastewater infrastructure that requires expensive repairs. Canadian municipalities spend more than $250 million a year removing garbage from sewer systems, according to the Municipal Enforcement Sewer Use Group.

I Don't Flush 2017 offers simple advice to protect your pipes:

• Know your FOG. Examples of FOG include meat fat, cooking oil, butter and margarine, dairy and sauces.
• Cool it. Scrape it. Green bin it. After meals, allow FOG to cool and harden in pans, then scrape into the green bin. Alternatively, pour liquid FOG into containers like tin cans, then scrape into green bins once solidified.

For people living in municipalities that do not have green bins, FOG can be cooled and thrown in the trash.

I Don't Flush 2017 is the third phase of the I Don't Flush campaign, a public awareness program which began in 2014 to encourage people to properly dispose of household items rather than put them down the sink or toilet.

To learn more visit www.idontflush.ca.  Find us on Facebook and join the conversation on Twitter.

Ontario Clean Water Agency
OCWA provides water and wastewater services across Ontario, working in partnership with our clients to build healthy, sustainable communities.

Clean Water Foundation
The Clean Water Foundation is a Canadian non-profit organization dedicated to engaging individuals in actions that preserve, protect and improve our water.

SOURCE Ontario Clean Water Agency

Media contact: Bria Weaver, 647-686-4568, [email protected]