Raleigh's curbside cooking grease recycling begins Monday

Raleigh residents and places of worship will be able to recycle used cooking oil by arranging for the city to pick it up at the curb starting Monday.

The collection program is designed to keep cooking grease out of the city’s sewer system, where it can plug up pipes and cause overflows. Piedmont Biofuels will convert the grease into fuel.

The city began collecting cooking oil at the curb during the holiday season six years ago and gets between 600 and 900 gallons a year. The collection ends Jan. 15.

Raleigh residents and places of worship can arrange to have cooking grease and oil collected at the curb by calling the Solid Waste Services Department at 919-996-6890. The oil must be placed in a sealable and preferably clear plastic container and marked as “used cooking oil.”

Cary residents can recycle cooking oil and grease at the curb year around. Residents can schedule a pickup by calling the town at 919-469-4090.

This story was originally published October 31, 2014 at 1:53 PM with the headline "Raleigh's curbside cooking grease recycling begins Monday."