What to Do With Used Cooking Oil

Do you love to cook, or maybe deep-fry a turkey during the holidays, and find yourself wondering what to do with all that leftover fat, oil, and grease (FOG)? You’re not alone. Many residents face the same question every year. The good news: your used cooking oil has a beneficial reuse and can be transformed into clean biofuel or even renewable electricity.

Here’s how to be part of that positive impact.

When you’re ready to dispose of used cooking oil, simply pour it (carefully, if it’s still warm) into a heat-resistant container with a tight lid. Bring it to the City’s Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Facility, where residents are offered a FREE and safe way to recycle FOG year-round.

Why does this matter?

Used cooking oil is far too valuable to throw away. After drop-off, the oil is sent to specialized processors, where it is converted into biodiesel, a cleaner-burning renewable fuel. During processing, solids and water are separated and delivered to the City of Thousand Oaks’ Hill Canyon Wastewater Treatment Plant, where they’re placed into anaerobic digesters. Inside these enclosed systems, microorganisms break down biosolids, producing biogas that is used to generate electricity and heat for the facility. It’s a closed-loop success story that you can directly contribute to.

Improper disposal can cause plumbing problems at home and citywide as well.

Even small amounts of cooking oil can cause major plumbing headaches. Pouring FOG down the drain may seem harmless, especially if you chase it with hot water, but once the water cools, the oil hardens inside your pipes. Over time, that buildup acts like plaque in an artery, restricting flow until a costly home or sewer backup occurs.

When cooking oil is thrown in the trash, trash compaction can force it to leak onto streets, stain pavement, or enter the storm drain system, where it does not belong. Once in a landfill, cooking oil breaks down and releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Choosing to recycle your oil instead of dumping it helps you avoid expensive repairs, keeps our community’s infrastructure running smoothly, reduces harmful emissions, and keeps Thousand Oaks clean.

And if you’re cooking a holiday turkey, remember that deep frying can use 3–4 gallons of oil at once. The City’s HHW Facility offers a free, reliable option to ensure that all oil is diverted from waste for beneficial reuse.

Ready to take part in a communitywide effort that protects the environment, prevents plumbing problems, and supports clean energy?

Bring your used cooking oil to:

City of Thousand Oaks

Household Hazardous Waste Facility

2010 Conejo Center Drive, Newbury Park, CA 91320

Open Friday & Saturday, 9:00 AM–1:00 PM (by appointment)

Recycling your cooking oil is a small action with big benefits—and together, we can keep Thousand Oaks cleaner, greener, and running smoothly all year long.