There are several foods that we dump in our garbage disposal many times without realizing that it might harm it or lead to significant issues like clogs or malfunctions.
Meat is one of those food elements that’s always been debatable when it comes to disposal. Maybe because, first of all, foods as rich as meat shouldn’t be wasted or thrown away without any reason.
But if it’s about rotten meat, then there’s no choice but to dispose of it. And so, most often, we dispose of it in the garbage disposal without thinking about any risks or consequences.
Now the question is whether it is okay to put the meat down the garbage disposal. That’s what I’m going to reveal in this article. Give it a read.
Can You Put Meat Down a Garbage Disposal?
If it’s residues of leftover meat scraps from a meal, it’s alright to put it down at the garbage disposal. But if it’s a whole chunk of meat, it is a bad idea also, because cooked meat is more fibrous than raw meat, so it is better not to put it in.
After a meal, there are often leftovers of the meat on the plate, which are usually very small in size and amount.
If you put these leftovers down the garbage disposal, it shouldn’t make much of an impact on it. And will not have risks of forming clots.
But if you’re planning to put a whole chunk of meat down the garbage disposal, know there’s a massive risk of forming a clot because the meat might get stuck to the pipe.
And even if it somehow survives the pipe, it will form a sticky clot by contacting the garbage disposal blades.
Moreover, if the chunk of meat contains bones, it will be a cherry on top of damaging the garbage disposal and its blades.
That is why it is necessary to remember that if you want to put the meat down the garbage disposal, it has to be very small in size and amount and properly shredded without any traces of bones in it.
What Will Happen If I Put Meat Down the Garbage Disposal?
If you put down a few very tiny pieces of meat or meat residues without any bones, they will not get stuck to the walls of the pipe and will move quickly down the garbage disposal.
Since it is a minimal amount, the grease and fat from the meat will not affect much to form a clot inside the garbage disposal and will get drained away.
But in the case of a whole chunk of meat, since it is very fatty, especially red meats that are fibrous and stingy in texture, it will get tangled with the garbage disposal blades, forming a clot of fibers and grease.
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This will either lead to a clog in the garbage disposal or a malfunction in the blades to spin properly due to getting tangled with the meat fiber.
On the other hand, if you put down the meat that contains bones in the garbage disposal, except for fish bones, it can even break down or ultimately damage the garbage disposal blades.
This is because the bones will not get blended and will keep spinning along with the blades on their surface.
And if by any means the meat slides down between two blades or the blades and the pipe wall while the blades are spinning, it will immediately cause the blades to break.
The garbage disposal blades are not designed to be strong enough to shred down meat bones and so they won’t.
Moreover, since the bones will still keep interrupting the blades’ movement even if it breaks down, the fiercely shooting pieces of it might even further damage the garbage disposal system.
This applies to meat bones, shrimp and mussel shells, and other rigid large bones. Fishbones don’t count as they are too small, thin, and weak to make an issue in the garbage disposal.
Can You Put Raw Meat Down the Garbage Disposal?
Raw meats aren’t generally as fibrous as cooked ones. Additionally, no oils or grease-cooked meat expels.
The fibrous texture of the cooked meat and the grease produces a sticky clot when it comes in contact with the garbage disposal blades.
But since raw meats aren’t that fibrous or greasy, relatively soft and slippery, they are easily ground by the garbage disposal’s blades.
However, that doesn’t remove the risk of forming clogs due to putting raw meats down the garbage disposal.
Because if you don’t cut the raw meat into small proportion of pieces before putting it down the garbage disposal, it might get stuck to the walls of the pipes.
That’s why, be it raw meat or cooked, you should always cut it into tiny pieces before dumping it into the garbage disposal.
What’s the Best Way to Dispose of Meat in a House?
By now, you should have gotten a clear idea that disposing of meat by a garbage disposal is not an ideal way to dispose of meat in the house.
Even if it won’t form issues if you make it boneless and into small pieces, disposing of meat in the garbage disposal is a bit of a hassle and a risk.
And so, the best way to dispose of meat in a house is to wrap it in a plastic bag tightly and throw it in the food waste bin of the house.
And then disposing of it at the garbage truck on the garbage pickup day. That’s it!
Final Words
If you’re still planning to dispose of meat at the garbage disposal, take the utmost precautions. Don’t get yourself into trouble.
James is an organic fertilizer professional who owns a successful organic fertilizer company in new jersey. He is an expert in waste management in both houses and community cases. In his free time, he loves to write about his experiences in the field.
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