Restaurants and commercial kitchens produce a lot of grease during food preparation. As it cools and congeals, this grease buildup will clog drain lines and potentially cause blockages and backups. Grease traps are plumbing devices designed to keep fats, oils, and grease (FOG) from contaminating wastewater before it enters the sewer system. Some are small enough to be installed under a commercial sink, while others require in-ground housing. Grease-trap sizing is determined by the amount of wastewater that is disposed of and is specific to each kitchen.
Grease traps are comparable to Inflammable waste traps in size and function. We hold FOG materials in a large steel basin, which allows sediment to settle and the FOG to form an oily layer at the top. Just as with inflammable waste traps, grease traps must be pumped regularly to remove the buildup of waste products. Grease traps must adhere to the 25 Percent Rule, which states that if the combined accumulation of floating grease or settled solids exceeds 25 percent of the trap’s capacity, a professional waste hauler must pump it. Some restaurants produce enough grease to be pumped on a weekly basis, while others can go two or three months between cleanings. No matter the frequency, it is important to keep close tabs on your grease trap. Approximately 50 percent of all sewer overflows are caused by grease blockages.
There are two types of grease that need to be removed from restaurants and commercial kitchens—yellow grease and brown grease. Yellow grease is used cooking oil, typically collected from deep-fat fryers. Yellow grease can be recycled and used to feed livestock or to make soap, makeup, clothes, rubber, detergents, and biodiesel fuel. Brown grease refers to all other FOG waste that has been captured by a grease trap. Because it has come in contact with rotting foods in the grease-trap receptacle, brown grease is unfit to recycle and must be disposed of in a landfill.
The best way to effectively control grease is to keep as much as out of the plumbing system. Scraping plates into the garbage before washing them, using drain screens on kitchen sinks, and wiping up spills with absorbent materials instead of spraying them with water are three easy ways to manage FOG discharge. This is as beneficial to your bank account as it is to the environment.
For more information about grease management, to schedule grease trap cleaning, or for any other plumbing need in Minneapolis, St Paul and Bloomington MN, contact the professionals at Drain King.