Don't let cooking grease smear your holiday fun | News

Clearwater, Florida -- Last holiday season, residents brought more than 350 gallons of leftover greases, oils, and fats to the City of Clearwater for recycling.

If you use a turkey fryer to cook up a holiday meal this season, bring the leftover grease to the city's grease recycling drop-off center, located at the Solid Waste & General Services Complex, 1701 N. Hercules Ave. This facility is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and the program is free for all city residents.

Recycling household greases, oils, and fats is much easier than one would think. Place leftover cooking greases, frying oils, meat drippings, and salad dressings into an old plastic bottle or glass jar, bring to the drop-off site, and pour the contents into the receptacle.

Grease that is poured down the drain causes costly sewer backups and blockages, which then lead to sewer spills. If you see or smell something you think might be a sewer spill, report it immediately by calling (727) 562-4960 Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. After hours, report the spill by calling (727) 462-6633.