Old medications and grease collected at Kmarts on Macon Road, Airport Thruway

If you have old cooking grease or old medications, the items will be collected at Kmarts on Macon Road and Airport Thruway in Columbus.

The Keep Columbus Beautiful Commission has team up with the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office and Columbus Water Works to collect the items from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

Pouring cooking oil down the sink, flushing it down the toilet or through a garbage disposal can gel into thick layers and create problems in drainpipes and sewer lines. Grease also can constrict water flows, clog sewer pipes and possibly back up into your home plumbing.

Collecting the used grease provides a convenient and environmentally friendly way to dispose of cooking oils. The cooking grease is used to help power the wastewater treatment plant.

The sheriff’s office has collected hundreds of pounds of old medicine. Collecting the expired or unused medications helps to reduce environmental concerns by flushing items down the sink or toilet.

If you can’t make it to the drop off location with old cooking grease, sites are scattered throughout the city:

John Rigdon Park, 6800 Psalmond Road

Corner of Buena Vista Road and Higgs Drive

Corner of Lindsay Drive and Glenwood Drive

Corner of 45th Street and Second Avenue

South Commons CSO, Lumpkin Boulevard behind Civic Center

Frank Chester Park, 1441 Benning Road

1335 Alexander Street, past the entrance to the Water Works Center on right

3001 S. Lumpkin Road through the South Columbus Water Resources Facility main gate

This story was originally published January 13, 2017 at 6:59 PM with the headline "Old medications and grease collected at Kmarts on Macon Road, Airport Thruway."