Pretreatment Coordinator Kevin Palmer was honored by the Florida Industrial Pretreatment Association (FIPA) for his cooking oil recycling efforts or “C.O.R.E.” At FIPA’s spring event in Orlando, Kevin was presented with first place recognition for his 2020 Public Outreach Contest Small Recycling Program. Kevin partnered with Keep Port St. Lucie Beautiful (KPSLB) to add the collection of household cooking oil to their biannual Household Hazardous Waste Collection and Tire Amnesty Day event.

Since the partnership with KPSLB began, 119 gallons of 933 pounds, of used cooking oil has been collected and kept from entering the sewer system. Keeping household fats, oil, and grease, also known as FOG, out of the kitchen sink helps to protect the integrity of the City’s vast sewer system, which includes over 1,000 miles of sewer main. When FOG enters pipes, it cools and forms blockages, which prevent wastewater from flowing efficiently. It builds up over time and collects other flushed debris. The clogs create backups and damage infrastructure, and ultimately, wastewater cannot be properly processed and treated to make reclaimed water, which is used for irrigation.

If you missed KPSLB’s biannual collection event, you can still help protect our sewer system and the environment all-year round by properly disposing of your household FOG. You can wait for it to cool and scrape it out of the pan and into the trash, or pour it into a can or container to store it for future use. If you don't plan on using it, you can drop it off at the collection site located at the St. Lucie Solid Waste Bailing and Recycling Facility. These simple changes can make a huge impact.

For more information, contact:
Jenny Tomes, APR
Utility Marketing Coordinator
(772) 871-5131
jtomes@cityofpsl.com