Thanksgiving and the kitchen drain: where the grease should go

Big holiday meals mean pans of fat, oil and drippings – and the kitchen sink is the easiest place to pour them. Sewer utilities ask you not to. Here is why, and what to do instead.

Why grease clogs pipes

Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Services explains that grease does not break down in water; it separates and sticks to pipes. Over time that narrows the pipe until it blocks, and clogged sewer pipes can push raw sewage back into homes or out into streets and streams. New York City’s Department of Environmental Protection warns specifically that pouring cooking oil, poultry fat or grease into the sink or toilet can cause sewer backups. The EPA lists public education about grease as one way cities prevent sewer overflows.

What to do with the grease

• Can it and trash it. Portland says to pour grease into a can, let it harden and throw the can in the trash. NYC Sanitation says to let oil and grease cool, pour it into a container, seal it and put it out with the trash.
• Soak up small amounts. San Francisco’s utility suggests soaking up small amounts of oil with paper towels and putting them in the green compost bin, where the city collects compost.
• Large amounts of oil (a turkey fryer, for example): check your city’s household hazardous waste or cooking oil drop-off. San Francisco residents can take used cooking oil to Recology’s Household Hazardous Waste Facility.
• Wipe pans with a paper towel before washing them.

Go easy on the garbage disposal

InSinkErator’s own manual says never to pour grease or fat down the disposer or any drain, and not to grind large amounts of egg shells or fibrous materials. Portland goes further and suggests stopping or minimizing disposal use, because food bits stick to grease in the pipes. If it does jam, see our garbage disposal guide.

Guests and “flushable” wipes

NYC DEP points out that “flushable” on a wipe generally means only that it will clear the toilet bowl – not that it is safe for pipes and sewers. A small trash can in the guest bathroom helps.

If a drain backs up

One slow sink is often a local clog – our clogged drain guide covers safe first steps. Several drains backing up at once, or water coming up in a tub or floor drain, points to the main line: stop running water and call a plumber. In many cities the private sewer line is the owner’s responsibility – DC Water, for example, says the property owner must maintain it and clear clogs in it. Plumbers whose own websites say they clear drains: Phoenix, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Chicago.

Related guides

Sources

1. Portland Bureau of Environmental Services – Fats, oil and grease
2. NYC Department of Environmental Protection – Disposing of grease at home
3. NYC Department of Sanitation – Oils, grease and fats
4. EPA – Sanitary sewer overflow frequent questions
5. SFPUC – Used cooking oil disposal
6. InSinkErator – Installation, care and use manual (PDF)
7. NYC DEP – Trash it, don't flush it
8. DC Water – Know what to do if you have a sewer backup

Published October 7, 2026 by the Plumbers Pages editorial team. General information, not professional advice. More from the blog · Editorial policy