Garburators are an appliance found in many Lloydminster kitchens. While these machines provide a convenient way to dispose of food waste, they also pose a threat to your plumbing and the City's sewer infrastructure.

Negative impact

Garburators are intended to break down large items into small pieces to aid in the disposal process, however, when a garburator reduces the size of food waste, it becomes a sludge which can form dense blockages.

Garburators also have the ability to release hazardous gasses and odours. When the food is cut and shredded, gases are produced and released into your home.

Do:

Check your seals

Garburators have many moving and non-moving components. Through normal wear and tear, the garburator seals can become damaged or worn out. This opens the possibility to mold, grease leakage, pest infestations and other unwanted affects.

Run cold water

Residents should run cold water for at least 30 seconds before and after as well as while they are using a garburator. Running cold water helps keeps any fats that may enter your drain in solid form.

Don't:

Put your hands in the garburator

You should never put your hand down a garburator. Running or not, the appliance has the potential to hurt you.

Pour bleach down the drain

Bleach has the ability to damage your drains and disposal seals. The odours that are released during garburation can be treated with natural remedies that are non-damaging to your plumbing systems as well as the City's infrastructure. Next time your drain has a foul smell, try using baking soda and vinegar, grated citrus peels, or Borax.

Just put everything in the garburator

Although items can technically be grinded, many items should be seriously considered before they are garburated. Items such as:

Cigarette butts

Cigarette butts are not treatable in the Wastewater Treatment Plant. These butts may be collected with the large items and removed in the sewage lagoons, but the loose tobacco can ultimately end up in the North Saskatchewan River.
Greasy, fatty or oily foods

These items have the ability to take the shape of the pipe and will solidify and cause blockages or clogs.

Extremely fibrous foods

Food scraps such as corn husks, celery stalks, onion skins and artichokes have fibres that can tangle and wrap around the garburator and inhibit disposal.

Expandable foods

Products such as pastas, bread and rice will expand in size and clog will your drains when they are introduced to water.

Coffee grounds

Coffee grounds have the ability to accumulate and stick together in low spots in the drainage pipes. This also increases their chances of causing blockages.

Don't forget, whenever you can use the garburator, you can always use your green recycling bin. View the Curbside Collection page for more information on proper disposal of food waste.