Used Cooking Oil

In Alaska, options for disposing of commercial or large quantities of used cooking oil and grease are limited. Disposal is difficult because used cooking oil is a liquid and the solid waste regulations restrict the disposal of liquids in landfills. Other disposal methods can also be problematic. Open burning of used cooking oil causes black smoke, which is prohibited. Using it as fuel in most standard heating systems will cause black smoke and soot and may damage the system.

Available options for used cooking oil recycling and disposal will vary from place to place. Recycling of used cooking oil is encouraged where the opportunity is available.

Do not pour it down the drain! Pouring used cooking oil down the drain will clog pipes and damage wastewater or septic systems.

Commercial Cooking Oil

Contact the cooking oil supplier to see if they have a take-back program.
Alaska Waste (907-563-3717) recycles commercial cooking oil and grease.
Contact any local commercial cooking oil recycling companies in the area.
If the used cooking oil cannot be recycled or disposed within the state, it must be collected and shipped out of state for proper disposal or recycling.

Residential Cooking Oil

Small amounts, less than 1 gallon, of residential cooking oil can be solidified (cooled and mixed with cat litter or another substance), placed into a sealed container, and placed in the household trash.

Disposal Options

Anchorage’s Solid Waste Services (907-343-6262) accepts quantities up to five gallons from residential customers.
Mat-Su Borough Landfill (907-745-9838) accepts up to 5 gallons of used cooking oil from residential customers and up to 10 gallons from commercial customers at its transfer sites and at the landfill.
Fairbanks North Star Borough Landfill (907-459-1482) accepts used cooking oil from residential customers.
Juneau’s Household Hazardous Waste Program (907-780-6601) accepts both residential and commercial used cooking oil.
Kenai Peninsula Borough’s Soldotna Central Peninsula Landfill (907-262-9667) accepts used cooking oil in containers up to 5 gallons from both commercial and residential customers.
Ketchikan Landfill (907-225-2370) accepts both residential and commercial used cooking oil for a fee.
Statewide – contact landfills operating household hazardous waste collection centers.

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