The short answer is all of them. When a restaurant produces waste water, it’s responsible for it. If there is water draining from your kitchen into your wastewater pipe, that’s your responsibility. Grease traps and grease interceptors should be used to collect all the FOG (Fats, oils, and grease) coming out of your kitchen, so you can stay up to code on your local ordinances. Wondering why to connect all of them? See it broken down below.
Your Sinks (You May Have More Than You Think)
You, of course, have your standard three-compartment sinks that produce a lot of your kitchen’s wastewater, but there are some others to think about. Mop and floor sinks can also account for a significant amount of wastewater, especially in a heavy-use kitchen with regular cleaning. Likewise, it’s important to think about front-end sinks such as bar or café sinks: milk and cream from cappuccinos, white russians, and ice cream can also build up in your pipes, so it might be worth connecting them as well.
Floor Drains for Oil Spills
If you’ve got a fryer in your kitchen, you’ve probably had an oil spill either filling or emptying it. Depending on how cleanup is managed, a lot of this oil might end up going down your drains during the cleaning process. Likewise, if your regular cleaning process for the kitchen doesn’t use a mop but a hose, you’ve got a lot of FOG wastewater pouring down the drain.
Garbage Disposals for Greasy Waste
Your kitchens garbage disposal is a convenient way to handle food waste, but it is not friendly to your wastewater pipes. As we’ve talked about before, the garbage disposal doesn’t just contribute solids to your wastewater, but also the oils, fats, and grease from those solids. You should make sure to have these feed into your grease interceptor or trap, and also make sure your staff is using it properly.
A Controversial Option: Dishwashers
Even if your dishes and utensils get a good prewash, there’s still going to be FOG in the wastewater from your dishwasher. However, there is some debate about if the high-temperature water containing mechanically and chemically emulsified oil could be doing more harm than good if it goes to your grease trap. While some of it will depend on the amount of grease your restaurant generates (including how it handles food serving), most of the time it’s suggested that it is better to send it through the grease interceptor or trap then to let potential FOG go free.
Want to learn more about the right layout and maintenance for your grease trap or grease interceptor? Contact the Food Grease Trappers. We can help you find the right fit for your restaurant, help train your staff in best practices, and make sure your grease trap or interceptor is cleaned out on the right schedule. We can even provide a complimentary quote on all of our services after we talk to you about your needs.
