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Cooking grease has become a big problem for Raleigh’s sewage system and they’ve taken steps to protect their sewage system by completely banning garbage disposals in all new construction and new sink installs. Mayor Charles Meeker says that city spends millions of dollars a year in maintenance on the sewage system and blames most of the problems on garbage disposals. He acknowledges that people can still put grease down the drain with out garbage disposals, but that the amount of grease is increased with garbage disposals because of bad kitchen habits like grinding up things like chicken bones. The city is promoting composting along side the ban of garbage disposals.Raleigh’s citizens think it’s an invasive misguided ban and have been making a big fuss. Also on their side is the maker of garbage disposals InSinkErator who plans to take the matter to the city council. InSinkErator does not believe the garbage disposal should be singled out as a source of grease and have successful fought to repeal similar bans in New York some 11 years ago.I find it ridiculous that banning garbage disposals was necessary and think this is why education and awareness is so important. If a composting program was put in place before the ban and the citizens taught about the benefits of composting the problem would probably not been so bad. A bonus would be that their landfill would have less food in it as well because table scraps make great composting material.Source: NPR
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Jason
March 18th, 2008 at 8:07 pm
The problem is grease, and the city blames people grinding up things like chicken bones. Chicken bones and other greasy meat products do not compost. Additionally the idea of widespread compost piles goes contrary to the principals of Western Civilization where we separate ourselves from vermin attracting piles of rotting garbage.
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Thank you for your contribution. Do you have any ideas for solving the problem without a ban? Grease is going to continue to be a problem, but I think the composting was more aimed to try and pursued people to stop putting chunks down the disposal.
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