Photo courtesy of the University of KentuckyLEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 20, 2015) — Fayette County residents who plan to fry a turkey this year for Thanksgiving can recycle used cooking oil in a safe, environmentally friendly manner at the Gobble Grease Toss, sponsored by the city of Lexington, Sayre School, the University of Kentucky’s Center for Applied Energy Research (CAER) and Bluegrass Greensource. 

The Gobble Grease Toss will be held Nov. 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Sayre School, 194 N. Limestone in Lexington. CAER will work with Sayre Middle School students to convert the used cooking oil into biofuel. 

"We are currently investigating the transformation of oils from biological sources to transportation fuels, like renewable diesel, with support from the National Science Foundation,” said Eduardo Santillan-Jimenez, a research scientist in CAER's Biofuels and Environmental Catalysis group. "Used cooking oil or ‘yellow grease’ is a very interesting starting material for the production of biofuels and thus, the Gobble Grease Toss provides a great opportunity for Sayre Middle School Green Team students to collect this material, share it with us and learn about the science behind biofuels as we convert their sample to fuel in our laboratory." 

Because it can cause problems in the sanitary sewer, cooking oil and grease should never be poured down sink drains. It can solidify in pipes and clog sewer lines in your home or the city’s sewer lines. Clogs in the city’s sewer lines can lead to sanitary sewer overflows—the discharge of untreated sewage into streets, yards and creeks. 

Though used cooking oil can be hardened in the refrigerator and disposed in your green trash cart, the Gobble Grease Toss is an opportunity to recycle your used cooking oil to keep it out of the landfill and the sanitary sewer system. 

The Gobble Grease Toss is a free opportunity offered to Fayette County residents (no businesses, please). Citizens should bring the oil in a sealed container to help prevent spills.

For more information on the Gobble Grease Toss, call LexCall at 311 or 425-2255 or visit www.livegreenlexington.com.