Your Sink

Don't cause a stink by putting oil down your sink.

Fats, oils and grease — FOGs for short — cause major problems in pipes, drains and sewers. They congeal, harden, and combine with bathroom waste to form fatbergs.

A modern kitchen sink
Why it matters

From your sink to the sea.

Sewers clogged with fat stop wastewater from reaching treatment works. The result: untreated sewage ending up on our beaches and in our seas.

Even leftover Christmas-dinner fat — washed down with hot water and detergent — sets hard the moment it hits the cold pipes. Mixed with wet wipes and sanitary products, it becomes the basis of a fatberg.

The impact

Blocked pipes don't stop at your kitchen.

During heavy rainfall, sewer overflows can spill untreated sewage into the streets and the sea — bad news for the environment, wildlife, and anyone who wants to enjoy a swim.

How to get rid of FOGs safely

Three habits, zero blockages.

OIL

Container

Pour cooled oil into a heat-resistant jar or bottle. Recycle or bin once it's cooled.

Wipe

Wipe out greasy pans with kitchen roll before washing them.

Strain

Catch greasy food scraps in a sink strainer so they never reach the plughole.

Oil being poured down a kitchen sink
Anatomy of a fatberg

What congeals in your pipe doesn't stay in your pipe.

Cold pipes turn warm fat solid in minutes. As waste flows through, the fat catches wipes, hair and food scraps, building a sticky mass that grows until water can no longer get past.

Once it's blocking the line, sewage backs up — usually into the lowest fixture in the home, often someone else's home further down the street, and ultimately into the sea.

Quick reference

The kitchen edition.

Down the drain

  • 💧 Water
  • 🧼 Soap & mild detergent
  • Cold tea & coffee (no grounds)

Into the bin

  • 🛢️ Cooking oil & fat
  • 🧈 Butter, lard & ghee
  • 🥓 Bacon & meat grease
  • 🥛 Dairy & cream
  • 🍝 Food scraps & sauce residue
  • 🥖 Crumbs & flour pastes
  • 🥔 Peelings & veg trimmings
Restaurant or industrial?

Different rules apply for businesses.

Discharge permits, grease traps and what's required by law.

See WSC services