How to dispose of cooking oil — and where to recycle a fryer's worth

Never pour it down the drain: cooking oil and grease can clog pipes and cause sewage backups. For a pan's worth, the fix is free: let it cool, seal it in a container and put it in the trash. For a turkey fryer's worth, many drop-off sites collect cooking oil for recycling.

Short answer

Not down the sink, toilet or any drain.
Small amounts: cool it, pour it into a container, seal it and put it in the trash.
Wipe greasy pans with a paper towel before washing.
Large amounts: many transfer stations and recycling centers take used cooking oil, often up to 5 gallons.

A pan or a pot's worth

New York City's sanitation department puts it simply: do not pour cooking oil or grease down sinks, toilets or any drains, because it can clog pipes and cause sewage backups. Instead:

Let the oil or grease cool.
Pour it into a container you won't need back — a can, jar or bottle — and seal it.
Put the sealed container in your trash.
Wipe the remaining oil or grease out of the pan with a paper towel before washing it.

Find a drop-off near you

Enter your city or ZIP for the nearest disposal sites. Used cooking oil usually goes to a household hazardous waste area or event, so check the site's page or call before you drive.

A fryer's worth: recycle it

Large amounts are worth recycling, and plenty of sites in our directory collect cooking oil:

Cary, North Carolina: cooking oil at the drop-off alongside motor oil and antifreeze.
Richland, Washington: up to 5 gallons each of used motor oil, antifreeze and cooking oil.
Trumbull, Connecticut: cooking oil with recyclables and motor oil, no ticket needed.
Gray, Maine: free from households.
Fort Wayne, Indiana: free at Allen County's weekly household hazardous waste drop-off.
Mandan, North Dakota and Columbia, South Carolina also take it for recycling.

Not everywhere does: Dane County, Wisconsin's hazardous waste site won't take cooking oil, and Kenai Peninsula Borough sites charge for kitchen grease. Check your city's page before you haul a full fryer.

Common questions

How do you dispose of cooking oil?

Let it cool, pour it into a container you don't need back, seal it and put it in the trash. Never pour it down a drain. For large amounts, look for a drop-off site that recycles cooking oil.

Can you pour cooking oil down the drain?

No. Cooking oil and grease can clog pipes and cause sewage backups, as New York City's sanitation department warns. That goes for sinks, toilets and every other drain.

Where can I recycle used cooking oil?

Many transfer stations, recycling centers and household hazardous waste sites take it, often up to 5 gallons at a time. Use the finder on this page and check the site's page for cooking oil.

What do I do with turkey fryer oil?

Let it cool completely, then take it to a site that recycles cooking oil, or seal it in containers and put it in the trash if your area allows it. Never pour it on the ground or into a drain.

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