Grease Trap Cleaning
The purpose of grease traps is to collect oil, grease and solids and prevent them from entering the sanitary water system. Any permanently fixed business that prepares and serves food that contains grease needs to correctly install and regularly perform grease trap cleaning.
What is a Grease Trap?
How Do Grease Traps Work?
What is FOG?
Fats, oils and greases (also known as FOG) are the materials that grease traps are designed to keep out of water systems.
What Establishments Need to Install Grease Traps?
Grease trap requirements are not limited To restaurants. Non-commercial food service establishments,including churches, schools, catering halls that do not engage in business activity but process and serve food also require grease traps.
How do you safely dispose of grease?
Grease trap waste disposal must be done according to all laws, rules, codes and regulations. Business owners must hire a private company and provide documentation that they may be required to keep on file for as long as 24 months.
What are the different types of grease?
Yellow Grease
Grease derived from used cooking oil from the food industry as typically found in frying oils from deep fryers.
Brown Grease
Waste vegetable oil, animal fat, grease that is recovered from the grease trap.
Grease Traps Protect the Sanitary Wastewater System
Prevention of sanitary wastewater system blockages, back-ups and obstructions from contributions and accumulation of fats, oils, and greases into the sanitary wastewater system from all food service establishments and any and all retail, industrial or commercial establishments.
Examples of Grease Trap Requirements
Food service business and non-commercial food establshments are typically required to install a grease trap that is approved by the municipality. The business owner is responsible for all costs as well proper maintenance and operation of an approved grease trap.
Frequency of Grease Trap Cleaning
Frequency of grease trap cleaning is determined by the municipality and may be performed biweekly or more frequently.
Grease trap cleaning may be required less often in non-commercial establishments (schools, churches, etc)
Grease Trap Maintenance Logs
The food establishment must keep a maintenance log of grease trap cleaning. The log will be signed by the person performing maintenance. Business owners may be required to keep logs available for two years or more.
Code Violations and Fees
Each municipality in New Jersey has different regulation regarding the operation of grease traps but it seems that penalties for grease trap violations are quite serious and business owners will want to avoid these fees.
How To Avoid Grease Trap Fines and Fees
The best way to avoid fines is to hire an experienced, reliable company that specializes in grease trap cleaning, maintenance and related drain, sewer and plumbing services.
A qualified grease trap cleaning specialist will advise the business owner about proper installation, sizing and operation of the grease trap systems. They can develop a suitable grease trap maintenance program that will ensure proper operation and avoid penalties.