Georgetown, Del., July 9, 2009: Everyone knows that foods full of fats, oils and grease can clog your heart’s arteries. What people might not realize is those same culprits can damage another kind of artery, too – to the more than 700 miles of sewer pipes beneath our feet every day.

Sussex County’s Engineering Department reminds the public to “Use Your Brain, Not the Drain” when it comes to disposing of fats, oils and grease from the kitchen.

Fats, oils and grease, or FOG, can cause messy and expensive problems, lining the interior wall of sewer pipes so badly that clogs build and block the flow of wastewater. That can lead to messy backups and costly clean-up bills for property owners and public sewer customers. Sussex County and its sewer customers spend approximately $50,000 each year to clear FOG blockages and other clogs from public sewer pipes.

County law prohibits the disposal of fats, oils and grease into public sewers. County law also requires commercial kitchens where public sewer is provided to have grease traps built into the plumbing of sinks and dishwashers. These traps should be maintained regularly, and the captured waste should be properly disposed of by a professional service. In the home, fats, oils and grease should be poured into a large metal can, then discarded in household trash.

For more information, visit the County Web site at sussexcountyde.gov/tips-how-avoid-sewer-clogs-fats-oils-and-grease-fog, or call (302) 855-7719.

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