# Best way to dispose of used cooking oil?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-dispose-of-used-cooking-oil/292249>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 28, 2005, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-dispose-of-used-cooking-oil/292249 "2005-02-28T04:27:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2005, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-dispose-of-used-cooking-oil/292249/21 "2005-03-02T01:45:58Z")

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> [@Dijon Warlock](#):
>
> A related question:
> 
> If you’re going to save it for reuse, how long can you keep it in the fridge before it goes bad and should no longer be used for frying?

It depends, the main factors contributing to oil rancidity are light, heat, vibration, and particulate matter. In the fridge, your relatively safe from light, heat and vibration but how much random junk you have in your oil after frying depends on how well you filter it. Generally, I would say 6 months is fairly safe, any more and you might want to sniff the oil before you use it. If it smells off, chuck it.

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**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2005, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-dispose-of-used-cooking-oil/292249/22 "2005-03-02T02:01:23Z")

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I got no cite for this, only my mother’s wisdom.

We always put it in a can and freeze it. On trash day, we throw the frozen can out with the rest of the garbage.

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**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2005, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-dispose-of-used-cooking-oil/292249/23 "2005-03-02T02:31:57Z")

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So… I’m the only one who drinks it?

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**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2005, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-dispose-of-used-cooking-oil/292249/24 "2005-03-02T03:10:15Z")

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> [@Shalmanese](#):
>
> It depends, the main factors contributing to oil rancidity are light, heat, vibration, and particulate matter. In the fridge, your relatively safe from light, heat and vibration but how much random junk you have in your oil after frying depends on how well you filter it. Generally, I would say 6 months is fairly safe, any more and you might want to sniff the oil before you use it. If it smells off, chuck it.

Cool. Thanks!

**Cervaise:** Yes…yes, you are.

Heh…“drinks” is what they’re calling it now?

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