Celebrate Sustainably in Alachua County
Celebrate Sustainably in Alachua County
As holidays approach, kitchens across Alachua County are warming up with family recipes, frying pans, roasting trays, and the joy that comes with gathering around the table with family and friends. But all that delicious cooking can bring unintended extra waste, clogged pipes, and environmental impacts that last much longer than your leftovers.
This year, join us in making a few simple, sustainable choices to keep your holiday both festive and environmentally friendly.
Can the Pan! Why You Shouldn’t Recycle Disposable Aluminum Pans
Those aluminum roasting pans used for turkeys or casseroles might seem recyclable—but they are NOT accepted in curbside recycling programs.
Why?
- They’re often contaminated with food and grease
- They’re too thin to process effectively
- They burn up before reaching the temperatures needed to recycle aluminum cans
Putting aluminum pans in your recycling bin causes contamination and makes it harder to properly recycle items that are accepted—like aluminum cans and steel cans.
If you use aluminum roasting pans or pie tins, you can wash and reuse them. Handwash with mild soap and a soft sponge, then dry thoroughly. Don’t reuse pans that are flimsy, stained, punctured, or used for raw meat or acidic foods (such as tomato sauce), as the aluminum can break down and contaminate food. Avoid abrasive cleaners and store pans carefully to prevent damage.
🍗 FOGs Cause Clogs! Keep Fats, Oils and Grease Out of Your Sink!
Sinks can’t gobble grease! FOGs (Fats, Oils, and Grease) such as turkey drippings, gravy, butter, oil, bacon fat, salad dressing, mayonnaise, etc. should never be placed down your drain. If it’s solid at room temp, it will solidify in your drains and pipes. Even when using hot water or garbage disposals, FOGs can solidify and form thick grease balls that build up in our pipes and sewer systems. This can cause raw sewage spills as well as sewage backups in your sinks, toilets, and even your neighbors’ homes. These backups can be very costly and pollute our creeks and waterways.
How to dispose of FOGs the right way:
✔ Can it – Pour used fats, oils, and grease into a heat-safe container.
✔ Cool it – Allow it to solidify.
✔ Toss it – Throw it away with your household trash.
If you have vegetable oils (olive, peanut, corn, etc. – liquid at room temp) that have NOT been mixed with animal fat (butter, duck fat, lard, etc. – solid at room temp), read on to learn how the Alachua County Hazardous Waste Collection Center can recycle it into biodiesel fuel!
♻ Bring Your Used Vegetable Oil for Recycling
If you’re frying a turkey or using vegetable oils that stay liquid at room temperature (olive, peanut, canola, corn, etc.), recycle it!
Vegetable oil that has not been mixed with animal fats (fats that are solid at room temp) can be brought to any Alachua County Hazardous Waste Collection Center, where it is transformed into biodiesel fuel.
Our locally produced biodiesel:
- Reduces reliance on petroleum-based fuels
- Lowers Alachua County’s carbon footprint
- Powers County vehicles and generators
- Creates a waste-free alternative for oil that usually gets thrown out
- Encourages resourcefulness and sustainability in our community
Where to Drop Off Your Used Vegetable Oil
- Main HWCC – 5125 NE 63rd Ave.
- North Central – 10714 N State Rd. 121
- High Springs – 16929 NW Hwy. 441
- Archer – 19401 SW Archer Rd.
- Phifer Solid Waste – 11700 SW Hawthorne Rd.
- Fairbanks Solid Waste – 9920 NE Waldo Rd.
A More Sustainable Season Starts at Home
Let’s come together this holiday season to protect our pipes, our waterways, and our beautiful environment. Here are a few additional ways to lighten your environmental footprint:
Ditch the Disposables
Choose real plates, cloth napkins, and reusable cutlery instead of single-use plastic or paper items. Ask guests to bring their own containers for leftovers or provide reusable ones they can take home.
Compost Your Leftovers
Vegetable scraps, peels, coffee grounds, and many food leftovers can be composted instead of thrown away, returning valuable nutrients to the soil.
Recycle Right!
Set up designated bins for recycling and compost to make sorting easy for everyone.
That’s a Wrap!
As you look ahead to days of gift giving, think about some ways to replace wrapping paper and ribbon that often get thrown away. Look for kraft paper, recycled paper, or reusable items like fabric, scarves, or gift bags. Natural accents such as twine, pine sprigs, or dried oranges add charm without creating waste. And don’t forget to save ribbons, bags, and boxes to use again next year. As you think about holiday cards, please choose designs without glitter or embellishments to make sure they can be recycled.
Wishing you and yours a festive and eco-friendly holiday season from Alachua County Recycles!