How to Dispose of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Explained!)

Have you ever asked yourself or your friend how to dispose of Extra virgin olive oil? Well, you are at the perfect place to find the answer to such a question.

Extra virgin olive oil is one of the healthiest and tastiest oils to use when you’re cooking.

When you need to dispose of extra virgin olive oil, it can be treated like any other cooking oil. Even though oil is liquid, it can’t go down the drain like other liquid products.

If you need to dispose of extra virgin olive oil, simply compost it in small amounts or throw it in the garbage. This should only be done if you are not able to reuse the oil.

Today, we’re going to discuss how to dispose of extra virgin olive oil the correct way. Keep reading to learn more.

How to dispose of extra virgin olive oil

Before we talk about how to dispose of your leftover extra virgin olive oil, we recommend reusing it first.

What a lot of people didn’t know is that if you are using extra virgin olive oil in a pan, it can be reused multiple times.

Extra virgin olive oil can be reused more often than other vegetable oils because it breaks down at a slower rate.

However, you will need to dispose of that oil at some point so it’s best to know how. Whatever you do, never pour extra virgin olive oil down the drain (we’ll cover why in a moment).

To get rid of your used oil, you can either compost it or throw it away.

Composting extra virgin olive oil

Composting the used extra virgin olive oil is the ideal way to dispose of it. The only problem is that you can not compost a lot of extra virgin olive oil at once.

Oil composts differently than other types of foods, which is one of the main reasons why you should only add a small amount at a time.

When extra virgin olive oil is added to the compost in large quantities, it causes a block in airflow. When this happens, it can slow down the composting process for other items in the bin.

The best way to put extra virgin olive oil in the compost is by soaking it up with paper towels first.

While composting is an easy option, it’s better during warmer months of the year. If you only use a small amount that can be soaked up with paper towels, the temperature won’t matter too much.

However, if you are adding oil often, you may have to rotate the compost during cooler months.

Read also: Is Extra Virgin Olive Oil Refined

Throw away the extra virgin olive oil

If you have a larger quantity of extra olive oil to dispose of or are just not sure how much is too much for the compost bin, you may be better off throwing the olive oil in the garbage.

It’s not a good idea just to pour the oil into the garbage bag because it can cause a big mess if there are any small tears or openings in the bag.

The best way to throw out old extra virgin olive oil is to put it in a sealed bag or container that you no longer use. Once you know it won’t leak, place it in the garbage. 

Why can’t you pour extra virgin olive oil down the drain?

If you’re familiar with using different cooking oils, you may know the rule to never pour them down the drain. Extra virgin olive oil is no exception to this rule.

Even though this oil pours out in liquid format, it can solidify at certain temperatures. When it gets colder than 40 F, extra virgin olive oil could solidify, which will lead to a blockage.

Even if the oil doesn’t clog the drain, it will stick to the sides. When this happens, the oil can easily catch other items that go down the drain, resulting in a clog. 

Are there other ways to dispose of extra virgin olive oil?

If you use extra virgin olive oil in large quantities, there is also the option to recycle it. Many restaurants go through a lot of cooking oil on a daily basis.

They rely on oil recycling companies to dispose of the leftover oils.

If you prefer recycling the oil, do some research to find out which oil recycling companies are in your local area.

Oil is not something the weekly garbage and recycling crew will pick up on the curb. To recycle oil, you must contact a company and make arrangements. 

Read also: Who Makes Kirkland Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Final thoughts

Do you have leftover extra virgin olive oil that you need to dispose of? While pouring that oil down the sink or toilet may seem like the easiest option, it’s the one that will leave you with problems later on.

Before disposing of your leftover oil, you should see if it really needs to be. There’s a good chance you may be able to get a few more uses.

When it’s time to get rid of the extra virgin olive oil once and for all, you can either compost it or throw it away.

Another option you have is to contact an oil recycling company, which is preferred for large amounts only.

When you place oil n the compost bin, try to soak it up with other items first. For the garbage, always make sure the oil is sealed. 

References

https://wigglywisdom.com/can-you-pour-olive-oil-down-the-drain/

https://www.mahoneyes.com/blog/how-to-dispose-of-cooking-oil-environmentally/