Is animal fat biodegradable?

Question

What I have in mind is that I want to dig a hole and pour in the extra animal fat that is collected from cooking.

It may not be a smart thing to do considering it can indeed be used for biofuel, but where I live, there aren't any biofuel centers where I can drop it off.

So my main questions are whatever it is good or bad for the soil. Would it benefit the plants or microbes that feed upon it? If it is possible to go with the alternative, are there any places in Northern California where I can recycle it?

I request smart & meaningful answers for this question, please.

Answer 1

You can just put fats into the ground, however they do take a long time to breakdown and will generate quite a bad smell if they are not buried deep enough, also they may encourage local animals to come into your garden an start digging things up.
Dumping or burying it elsewhere is an offence and can have quite steep penalties associated with it (including the seizure of the vehicle used for the offence).
Another option is to add bird seed to the fat, let it cool and then put it on your bird table (if you have one) this should encourage more bird-life in your garden.
There is a company in N. California called Energy Alternative Solutions, Inc that produces 20% biodiesel using old waste oils but whether they would collect it would probably depend on the volume and distance.

Answer 2

Soap is a natural, organic product that is inherently biodegradable. The carboxylate end of the biodegradable soap molecule is attracted to water and is called the hydrophilic (water-loving) end. The hydrocarbon chain is attracted to oil and grease and repelled by water and is known as the hydrophobic (water-hating) end.The soapy greywater from a single household may biodegrade easily in a backyard, however, if that same soap went down a sewage line that fed into a waterway along with the soap used by a million or more residents that live along that waterway, there may be waves of soapsuds on the beaches, simply because more soap would be going into the waterway than it has microorganisms to biodegrade.

Answer 3

Like everyone else says, I'm sure it would be fine, infact good for the ground if buried. If, however, you garden and have a compost heap, do not put it in there. I've recently been starting a garden, and that's one thing I've read over and over. If put in a compost heap, it would likely draw animals to it. If you're really interested in what it will do for the soil, go to google, or any search engine, and look up Nature's Way. The man that owns the company has a degree in bio-something or other. He's an expert at soil. I've been to one of the gardening classes he's taught, and he knows everything.

Answer 4

Not only should you not put it in a compost heap to discourage animals, but if you are composting to nourish your own edible vegetation, any animal waste would encourage the growth of E. coli., a seriously heinous bacteria. E coli like to feed off of flesh and animal by-products (including poo). and if it gets on your plants you could harm yourself as well as any ambient wildlife.

hope this helps! :)

Answer 5

YES

it is biodegradable
all parts on an animal are (execpt hair)

im sure if you put it in the ground the worms and other small creatures will eat it up

Answer 6

What happens if an animal dies in the wilderness... it's carcass (fat and all) biodegrades into the ground, nourishing plants and animals.

Answer 7

Anything, just about, that comes out of an animal or plant is biodegradable. so, yes, your bacon grease would decompose eventually, but it will go rancid first...stinky....

Answer 8

I'd imagine so, in nature it has to go somewhere so it either turns to dirt or is eaten.

Answer 9

Yes it its. You can also mix it with seeds and feed it to birds.

Answer 10

yes