CLEARWATER, Fla. — Don't clog your drain this holiday season.

According to public utilities, pouring cooking fats, oils and greases down the drain can cause serious and expensive pipe blockages. Florida cities are asking residents to repurpose their cooking oils and grease.

Follow these steps to repurpose cooking greases:

1. Place leftover cooking greases, frying oils, meat drippings and bacon fats into a container.

2. Bring the grease to any local solid waste/recycling drop-off center.

3. Pour the contents of the container into the large barrel that is on-site. Take the empty container home or place it in the trash afterwards, as a container with a layer of grease inside is not recyclable.

Grease and oil disposed down the drain can also cause sewer backups, blockages and sewer overflows. If you see or smell something you think might be a sewer overflow, report it immediately by calling your local Solid Waste Operations Center.