Fats, Oils, & Grease

MSD Project Clear estimates that about 15 percent of blockages in its public sewer system are caused by fats, oils and grease (FOG). FOG is a byproduct of cooking and is mostly found in the following common household items:

• Meats
• Cooking oil
• Lard or shortening
• Butter or margarine
• Mayonnaise
• Food scraps
• “Hidden oils” such as salad dressings, syrup, batter, cheese and whipping cream

Proper disposal of fats, oils and grease (FOG) can help prevent clogged pipes inside your home and in our region’s wastewater system. Rinsing dishes in the sink may seem harmless, but once FOG is in the drain, it sticks to the sides of sewer pipes, building up and blocking the pipes. An easy step to help mitigate this hazard is to COOL IT, CAN IT, TRASH IT. Even if you don’t experience back-ups, you could be impacting your neighbors downstream, leading to costly repairs, cleanups, or sewer overflows that damage the system and pollute our waterways.

FOG accumulation in the public wastewater system causes sewer blockages, resulting in sewer backups that can overflow onto streets and into homes, damaging property and the environment. Sewer system maintenance in neighborhoods that experience sewer blockages and backups due to FOG accumulation is expensive and can results in higher sewer bills for customers.

If you would like a free FOG lid to cover the can, they are available at your local municipality or at MSD Project Clear, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis MO.

To report a grease spill or blockage, contact MSD Project Clear at 314-768-6260.