Thanksgiving arrives later this week – and officials in Central Virginia are warning residents not to pour grease down the drain.
Kendall Juell is the education and outreach coordinator for Lynchburg Water Resources. She says cooler temperatures underground can cause oil and grease to solidify – which could cause major issues in your sewer system.
“That grease also can combine with food particles and non-flushable items – such as wet wipes, Q-tips, trash and anything else that’s non-biodegradable – and those can create something that’s called fatburgs in the sewer system," Juell says. "Which are very costly to remove and repair.”
The city is partnering with the Bedford Regional Water Authority to provide free grease recycling kits. They include information on how to properly dispose of cooking oils and a few other items.
“The kit includes a scrapper for your pan to remove food particles. It also includes a sponge that expands in water to help you wash your pans," Juell says. "And then it also has a funnel to help you pour the grease into a jar and a universal jar lid that fits on most cans and jars that you would have at home.”
The kits are available at the Lynchburg Community Market and the following locations:
- Lynchburg Parks and Recreation Neighborhood Centers (year-round)
- Templeton Center (year-round)
- Lynchburg College Hill Water Treatment Plant (year-round)
- Lynchburg Regional Water Resources Recovery Facility (24/7, year-round)
- Bedford Regional Water Authority Administration Building (year-round)
- Bedford Regional Water Authority Smith Mountain Lake Water Treatment Facility (during the holiday season)
- Bedford County Waste Drop-off sites (kit pick-up only - during the holiday season)
- Bedford Christian Ministries (during the holiday season)
You can drop off sealed containers of grease, cooking fats and oil at any of the locations above during regular business hours, unless otherwise noted. Containers may also be dropped off at all Lynchburg Fire Department Fire Stations from November 18th through December 31st.
