RALEIGH — With the holidays coming, the city has again begun collecting used grease and cooking oil from homes in an effort to keep it from ending up in the sewer system.

The curbside collection of cooking grease and oil began Thursday and runs through Jan. 15. Raleigh residents and places of worship can call the Solid Waste Services Department at 919-996-6890 to arrange for a pickup of oil in sealable, plastic containers marked as “used cooking oil.”

The program began three years ago and collect nearly 800 gallons of grease and cooking oil during the holiday season last year. Triangle Biofuels Industries of Wilson pays the city 25 cents per gallon and turns it into fuel for diesel engines.

Cooking oils and grease can clog sewer pipes and are among the most common causes of sewage spills in the Triangle. Cary began a year-round curbside collection program in 2009 and has collected more than 5,200 gallons.