Locals BBQ collecting used turkey fryer oil

Thanksgiving cooks who are planning on deep frying their turkey next week can bring their used cooking to Local's BBQ and Grill to discard it.

Owner Ralph Swagler will provide an oil dumpster outside the restaurant, 3849 S. Carson St., from Nov. 27 through Dec. 4 for used cooking oil. The service is free.

Bently Biofuels purchases the grease and converts it into biodiesel. Swagler will donate proceeds to Food for Thought, a Carson City charity that donates food to homeless and hungry children.

The restaurant is open from 11:14 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday and Tuesday-Thursday, and until 8:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. It is closed Mondays and will be closed Thanksgiving.

Swagler said his business discards about 66 pounds of grease each day from the cooking process.

"If you ever pass a car that smells like French fries, that's us," Swagler said, adding he also decided to provide the oil dumpster so people do not pour their used cooking oil down a drain.

"You definitely don't want to put it down the sewer," said Carson City Fire Chief Stacey Giomi. "All of our storm drains go down the sewer. Our sewer system has trouble separating that oil."

Giomi also adds that people who are planning on frying their turkey should use caution. He said the fire department usually responds to at least one fire each holiday season because of a fryer accident.

Giomi said:

• Do not fry the turkey indoors, on a patio or near anything that could catch on fire.

• Make sure the turkey is not wet, frozen or partially frozen before placing it in the oil.