|  | Public Health Safety | Environmental Health

Preventative Maintenance for Grease Traps

Fat, oil and grease ("FOG") that enter sanitary sewer systems from restaurants and other high-volume food preparers create economic and environmental hazards. FOG will clog and damage pipes and interfere with water treatment plant operations. Local sanitary ordinances require restaurants and fast-food outlets that routinely generate significant amounts to intercept FOG with adequately-sized, and regularly-cleaned kitchen grease traps. Keeping these devices in good working order benefits both the individual food business and the community.

  1. Stopping FOG in the Kitchen

    • Preventive maintenance for under-sink grease traps can help minimize the amounts of FOG collected. These include recycling of waste cooking oil; "dry wiping" pots, pans, and dishware prior to dish washing; disposing of food waste by recycling and/or solid waste removal; using a three-sink dish washing system, for washing, rinsing, and sanitizing dishes; using water temperatures in all sinks of less than 140° F to keep grease from dissolving and mixing with run-off water; posting "No Grease" signs above sinks and on the front of dishwashers; and ensuring that kitchen staff are not only trained in these procedures, but abide by them.

    FOG in the Trap

    • Unavoidably, some FOG will enter the trap from kitchen drains. To keep pipes functioning properly, and from releasing unsavory odors into the business space and FOG into the sanitary sewer system, it may become necessary to clean the grease trap weekly, or more frequently if found to be more than 50 percent full when cleaned weekly. Do not use hot water, acids, caustics, solvents, or emulsifying agents. If employees do the cleaning, instead of a professional grease hauler, be sure they protect their hands with sturdy rubber gloves and to wash up afterward. A manager should witness that the cleaning is thorough and that the device is operating properly. Recording each cleaning in a maintenance log will serve to guide the cleaning schedule and serve as evidence of required maintenance for sanitary inspectors.

    Clearing FOG from the Trap

    • Start with bailing out any water in the trap to facilitate cleaning and discharge it into the sanitary sewer system. Next, remove the baffles from the trap, dipping the accumulated grease out of the trap and depositing it in a watertight container. Scrape the sides, the lid, and the baffles with a putty knife to remove as much of the grease as possible, depositing it in the watertight container as well for the grease hauler to pick up. Then reassemble the trap and record the volume of grease removed in the maintenance log for the city inspector.

      An alternative to physically cleaning grease traps, involves using a biologically-active enzyme solution that breaks down FOG in the trap and pipes. The enzymes degrade the organic materials into carbon dioxide and water, creating a clean, odorless and free-flowing system. Check with the relevant health department or water treatment authority in your community to see if local ordinances permit using this "green" and vastly more pleasant method.

Environmental Health - Related Articles