WHY A FATS, OILS AND GREASE PROGRAM. Employee Food Service Establishment Information Sheet INTRODUCTION

Transcription

1 Employee Food Service Establishment Information Sheet WHY A FATS, OILS AND GREASE PROGRAM Fats, oils and grease (FOG) cause serious problems in the sewer system. FOG sticks to the walls of the pipes when put down the drain. Over time, FOG can restrict the flow in a pipe until a sewer clog or overflow occurs. Clogs and overflows can create smelly, dirty messes possibly damaging the business, property, profits, as well as the environment. DON T GET STUCK PAYING FINES AND CLEANUP COSTS FOG blockages can cause sewer overflows into businesses, nearby homes or local waterways, potentially causing a loss of business. Overflows impacting public health, water ways and storm drains may result in expensive fines and cleanup costs. Preventing FOG from entering sewers can avoid these problems. Clean Pipe Grease Coated Pipe BENEFITS OF KEEPING FOG FROM GOING DOWN THE DRAIN Preventing grease-related sewer blockages and overflows benefits your employer and the environment by: Avoiding expensive clean-up costs and penalties Avoiding the loss of business due to sewer back-ups Keeping the environment clean Grease Clogged Pipe Sewer Spill

2 PROPER DISPOSAL OF FATS, OILS AND GREASE BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (BMPS) PROPER DISPOSAL Put food waste in the garbage. Do not put food waste into sinks, drains, garbage disposals, dishwashers or anything that connects to the sewer or storm drain systems. WIPING/SCRAPING Wipe or scrape pots, pans, dishware and work areas into trash to remove fats, oils and grease (FOG) and food residues from cookware, dishware, etc., before washing. PROPER WATER TEMPERATURE Use mild water temperatures (120 F to 140 F) in all sinks, especially in pre-rinse sinks. DRAIN SCREENS Use easily cleaned and removable drain screens in sink drains, floor drains, kitchen sinks, mop sinks and hand sinks. HOOD FILTERS Clean exhaust hood filters in sinks, not outside. SPILLS Block off sinks, floor drains or storm drains near any FOG related spill and clean up using absorbent materials, such as absorbent sweep, cat litter or paper towels. Place used materials in a separate sealed bag before placing it in the trash. Mop the area and dispose of mop water in the mop sink. OVERFLOWS Prevent outdoor spills and overflows from entering the storm drain by creating a barrier using dirt, cat litter or other absorbent material to contain the spill or overflow until cleaned. Overflows from outdoor interceptors may result in fines and costs associated with clean-up (see Grease Trap Maintenance and Grease Interceptor Maintenance instruction sheets). Inform management so they can call the local sewer agency to report the overflow. RECYCLING Recycle used cooking oil and grease by collecting and storing in a recycling barrel or bin. GREASE REMOVAL DEVICE MAINTENANCE Frequently clean indoor grease traps and, when possible, supervise all cleaning and maintenance of outdoor grease interceptors to ensure the devices are properly maintained.

3 Employee Food Service Establishment Information Sheet GREASE REMOVAL DEVICES WHAT ARE GREASE REMOVAL DEVICES Grease removal devices separate fats, oils and grease (FOG) from wastewater before the water enters the sewer. There are large outdoor underground grease interceptors and smaller indoor grease traps. WHICH GREASE REMOVAL DEVICE DO YOU HAVE Sample Indoor Manual Grease Trap Sample Indoor Automatic Grease Trap WHERE IS THE GREASE REMOVAL DEVICE AT YOUR RESTAURANT Outdoor Underground Grease Interceptor Learn where your grease removal device is located in order to ensure proper maintenance and usage. Large underground grease interceptors are located outdoors and small indoor manual or automatic grease traps are usually located near the sink area, either above ground or in the floor. Proper maintenance of grease interceptors and grease traps prevents FOG from going down the drain, clogging pipes and potentially causing a sewer overflow in the restaurant.

4 GREASE INTERCEPTOR MAINTENANCE A grease interceptor is an outdoor underground device that removes fats, oils and grease (FOG) from wastewater before it enters the sewer. Wastewater enters the interceptor from kitchen drains and is slowed down so solids can settle to the bottom. Grease, being lighter than water, floats to the top. The grease interceptor should be pumped completely every three months. The greasy content of the interceptor is known as brown grease and is generally disposed at a wastewater treatment facility, but may become part of renewable energy sources in the future. BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES Follow the Proper Disposal of Fats, Oils and Grease Best Management Practices (BMPs) instruction sheet so interceptors do not have to be pumped as frequently. MAINTENANCE Have the interceptor pumped out completely at least once every three months. When possible, supervise all cleaning and maintenance of grease interceptors to make sure all FOG (liquids and solids) are removed from the interceptor after pumping. GREASE WASTE HAULER A licensed Grease Hauler should record the volume of grease and liquid removed and provide a receipt. IF AN OVERFLOW OCCURS We recommend you take the following actions: Stop the flow of water into kitchen drains that empty into the interceptor by turning the faucet(s) off. Stop any flow to a storm drain using absorbent materials, such as cat litter or dirt, and cleanup overflows. Call your local sewer agency at (916) as soon as possible. Call a plumber to inspect sewer lines, verify the interceptor is working properly and clean up the spill. Never use water to hose or spray FOG spills into a storm drain. When cleaning a small spill yourself, use absorbent materials, placing the used materials in a separate sealed bag before throwing away. Prevent outdoor grease overflows from impacting public health and the environment, including storm drains, by properly disposing of FOG and maintaining the grease removal device.

5 GREASE TRAP MAINTENANCE There are two types of grease traps: manual and automatic. You should know where your grease trap is located and how to open and maintain it. Follow the Proper Disposal of Fats, Oils and Grease Best Management Practices (BMPs) instruction sheet so that traps do not have to be cleaned as often. Sample Manual Grease Trap* MAINTENANCE (Maintenance Recommended Weekly) Sample Automatic Grease Trap* (Maintenance Recommended Daily) Automatic grease traps should be easily accessible and checked daily. Automatic grease traps are designed to automatically remove captured grease and oil waste. Daily maintenance of these systems should include emptying the food waste basket strainer and checking whether the grease and oil collection container needs emptying. Manual grease traps need to be cleaned at least weekly. However, if the trap * For more information about maintaining your grease traps, consult your owner s manual or contact the manufacturer. is more than 25 percent full of grease after one week, the trap should be cleaned more often. Never use hot water, acids, caustics, solvents or emulsifying agents when cleaning grease traps. Before cleaning the manual trap you may want to put ice down the sink that drains to the trap to cool the water and lemon juice to help with the odor. DISPOSAL OF GREASE TRAP WASTE Grease from automatic grease traps may be mixed with used oil and grease that is placed in a recycling bin. However, you should ask the renderer if they allow the mixing of automatic grease trap waste oil and used cooking/fryer oil. Grease from a manual grease trap cannot be recycled. It is considered the same as brown grease from a grease interceptor due to the large amount of water that is mixed with the grease. To dispose of grease from a manual grease trap, solidify the grease by mixing it with an absorbent material, such as cat litter, then seal it in a separate bag before throwing it away. MAINTENANCE RECORDS Keep maintenance records showing who cleaned the trap and on what date. IF AN OVERFLOW OCCURS Stop water flowing to the grease trap and take immediate action to contain and cleanup the overflow. Let management know immediately. The local sewer agency may need to be notified and a plumber called to clean sewer lines and check if the trap is working properly. When cleaning any overflow yourself, use absorbent materials, placing the used materials in a separate sealed bag before throwing it away.

6 HOW TO RECYCLE KITCHEN GREASE Recycling used cooking oil and grease from fryers and other cooking equipment keeps fats, oils and grease (FOG) out of the sewer and storm drain systems. Used cooking oil and grease that has not been mixed with water is also known as yellow grease and can be recycled into animal feed, lubricants and fuels such as biodiesel. The used cooking oil and grease should be collected in sealed bins or sealed containers that can be stored outside. Small quantities of oil that cannot be recycled should be solidified with absorbent materials, placing the used materials in a separate sealed bag before throwing it away. Large quantities of cooking oil should be recycled. DON TS OF RECYCLING GREASE DON T pour FOG into a sink, floor drain, storm drain, dumpster, plastic bags, outdoor surfaces or landscaped areas. DON T combine FOG from the manual grease trap or grease interceptor with the recyclable oils and grease.* DON T wash recycling area or outdoor spills into the sewer or storm drain. * See Grease Trap Maintenance and Grease Interceptor Maintenance instruction sheets for more information on how to dispose of non-recylable FOG. DO S OF RECYCLING GREASE DO save used cooking oil for recycling by emptying into solid containers that you can easily lift and pour into a sealable grease recycling bin. DO combine used oil and grease collected from an automatic grease trap with the recycled grease bin/container contents after asking the renderer if it is okay to mix these oils. DO keep bins and containers sealed, tightly closed or locked to prevent illegal dumping and to keep insects, animals, rainwater and wind out. If the bins and containers are stored outside, keep them under a roof and away from storm drains. DO report overflowing or leaking bins or containers to management. RECYLCED GREASE STORAGE AREA Keep area clean by using absorbent sweep or mop and put dirty mop water in the mop sink. Place used absorbent sweep or cat litter, paper towels or similar materials for cleaning in a separate sealed plastic bag before placing in the trash. Keep spill clean-up kits containing rags, absorbent sweep, kitty litter, etc., near the storage area in an accessible location. Keep the exterior of the container clean by using absorbent materials to wipe off any noticeable grease.