During the holiday season, Raleigh residents will be able to dispose of cooking oil by setting it on the curb along with their garbage, recycling and yard waste.



Here are the Fast Facts:

• The goal is to keep cooking grease out of the City's sewer system.
  
• The collected grease will be converted to biofuels, a renewable source of energy used to power vehicles, heat homes and cook food.
  
• The pilot program for curbside collection of unused or unwanted cooking oil will be conducted for two and a half months during the holiday season months of November, December and January.
  
• Churches and synagogues can participate in the pilot program, which is free.
  
• Triangle Biofuels will reimburse the City 25 cents for each gallon of cooking oil collected, and convert the material to biofuels.
  

The Rules:

• Only animal or vegetable cooking oil is allowed. Motor oil and other petroleum products will not be accepted.
  
• To participate, call the City's Solid Waste Services Department, 996-6890, to arrange for the curbside collection of animal or vegetable cooking oil.
  
• The oil must be placed in a sealable and preferably clear container marked as "cooking oil."
  
• Examples of containers that can be used are milk jugs, juice cartons with screw-on caps, coffee cans or the cooking oil's original non-glass container. Glass containers will not be accepted.
  
• Households will place the container with grease on the curb on their designated weekly trash collection day.
  
• The amount of cooking oil to be collected must be at least half a gallon.
  

The Town of Cary conducted a similar curbside grease collection pilot program during the holiday season last year. Cary officials said the pilot program was very successful.