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Turkey tips for trimming the fat

Municipalities are finding fatbergs Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥“ caused by dumping fats, oils and grease that clog your pipes.
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As many sit down this weekend for the Thanksgiving feast, they may not realize they are contributing to a costly problem.

The average 14 pound turkey produced about 250 millilitres or 1 cup of fat.

Image that multiplied by thousands of homes in this community alone and it can create a problem down the line.

Many municipalities are encouraging people to not pour fats, oils and grease (or FOG) down the drains. They mix with other items such as wipes and dental floss to create whatÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™s called a fatberg.

As soon as the FOGs go a short distance, they start to harden and end up clogging the sewage system.

Metro Vancouver spends about $2 million to repair the damage caused by these products and homeowners can also face costly bills when their pipes get blocked. ThatÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™s why it created the Wipe It, Green Bin It campaign to educate residents, but these tips can be used in homes throughout British Columbia.

Disposal:

Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥¢ For small amounts of grease, wipe or scrape out the pot or pan and put the grease into your green bin.

Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥¢ Larger amounts of grease, like deep fryer oil, can be dropped off at an approved recycling depot.

Kitchen cloggers:

Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥¢ Fats - dairy produts, salad dressings, margarine, butter, shortening.

Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥¢ Oils - cooking oils such as olive, canola, vegetable, corn, peanut, coconut) as well as oil-based sauces.

Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥¢ Grease - pan drippings, trimmings from meat, lard.

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Heather Colpitts

About the Author: Heather Colpitts

Since starting in the news industry in 1992, my passion for sharing stories has taken me around Western Canada.
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