The City of Ocala Water Resources Department will host a cooking oil recycling day on Tuesday, November 29.
According to the city, the event will take place at two locations:
- Water Reclamation Facility #2 (4200 SE 24th Street) on Tuesday, November 29, from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Ocala Wetland Recharge Park (2105 NW 21st Street) on Tuesday, November 29, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Collection will be for vegetable oil only and must be in a sealed container.
Due to the increased popularity of frying turkeys for Thanksgiving, the City of Ocala encourages residents to plan for how they will dispose of their cooking oil. Recycling cooking oil is a way to eliminate the amount of oil being poured down the drain, reduce waste, and provide a positive impact on the environment.
The city lists the following steps to recycle cooking oils:
- Obtain a plastic container or jug with a lid.
- Pour used vegetable oil, fats, and grease (F.O.G.) into the container and store in a safe place.
- Bring the full container to the recycling location.
Pouring F.O.G. down a drain will coat the inside of pipes and solidify, which will restrict the flow of wastewater and cause backups.
This event is part of the Water Resources Department’s “Protect Your Pipes” campaign that focuses on educating Ocala residents to not pour fats, oils, and grease (F.O.G.) down their drains. Instead, residents should properly dispose of F.O.G. in the trash can or through a recycling program.
For more information, please call the City of Ocala Water Resources Department at 352-351-6772.