What happens to oil (fat) when released into the environment?

Question

So that I’m clear, I’m ***not*** thinking about pouring my used motor oil all over the yard. But I ***did*** think about pouring out a small jar of unused olive oil in the dirt. I’m 85 to 90 percent sure I’ve heard that’s a no-no, but I’m wondering why. What exactly happens when oil hits dirt? Shouldn’t the soil bacteria chew it up just like they chew up everything else organic? And would the same thing happen to crude oil?

In: 216

Answer 1

I feed used veg oils to my cattle and pigs in small amounts each day. It is a good weight gain supplement. Prior to that, I put oils in my compost. In small doses it gives a boost to the bacteria that break down your pile to make good soil.