Household Seasonal Grease Collection Nov. 1 Through Jan. 10
Just in time for the holidays, Raleigh provides its annual cooking oil and grease collection program. This free service helps keep grease out of the sink to prevent sewer overflows.
Seasonal grease collection runs from November 1, 2024 through January 10, 2025. Raleigh residents and places of worship can call 919-996-3245 to schedule a pickup on their next collection day. Commercial establishments in Raleigh are not eligible for the service. You can always recycle your household cooking oil and grease at no charge at a Wake County Multi-Material Recycling Facility.
Guidelines:
- A minimum of 1 gallon of cooking oil is required to set up a collection date (maximum of 3 containers).
- Only animal grease and vegetable cooking oil can be collected curbside. Motor oil and other petroleum products are not accepted.
- Residents must place cooled cooking oil in a plastic bottle, jug, or coffee tin with “cooking oil” written on the outside of the container by 7:30 a.m. on pickup day.
- Glass containers will not be collected.
Why it matters
Pouring fats, oils and grease down the drain is a top cause of sewer overflows. When people dispose of cooking oil and other fats in sinks and toilets it enters the sewer system and can cling to pipes and congeal with other waste not meant to be flushed, like wipes and diapers. So-called “fatbergs” form, blocking pipes and causing sewer overflows.
Grease collected from Raleigh residents and places of worship are refined into biofuels, a renewable energy source used to power vehicles, heat homes, and cook food.