When people think of grease traps, they envision the equipment being used in restaurants and hospitality-driven businesses. However, contributing the most to the country’s fat, oil, grease, and solid waste is the food processing industry. Most foods bought today are processed, as it’s important to make sure the product can withstand the shipment process and have a lasting shelf life. Considering the impact of this industry, it’s no secret these plants are under a lot of scrutiny, and as such, grease trap maintenance for food processing plants should be a priority for owners.
Why is Grease Trap Maintenance for Food Processing Plants So Important?
Food processing plants require a sterile manufacturing environment, as they handle the food a majority of the population consumes. For this reason, local grease ordinances require an appropriately sized grease trap for every facility that is registered, properly maintained, and regularly collected by licensed professionals. The reason these regulations are taken so seriously is that if wastewater was to back up into the plant, it would result in contaminating the processed foods, potentially endangering the public and forcing a temporary shutdown of the plant until the issue is resolved.
How are Grease Traps in Food Processing Plants Maintained?
Chemicals or enzymes shouldn’t be used in food processing plant grease traps, as these substances contaminate untreated sewage and don’t work effectively to break down fats, oils, grease, and solids (FOGS). This results in FOGS congealing into fatbergs, clogging pipelines and blocking wastewater.
Instead, these grease traps are treated via processes known as bioaugmentation and bioremediation. First, eco-friendly and non-pathogenic bacteria are introduced to breakdown the FOGS in the trap. As the bacteria digest the FOGS, the contaminants are evacuated into less hazardous forms of waste. Since the bacteria are naturally-occurring organisms, they don’t emit chemicals that pollute sewage, and they even help eliminate the unpleasant odors of grease traps. Upon or before reaching the one-quarter rule, a licensed collection company then hauls off the byproduct.
Grease trap maintenance for food processing plants doesn’t differ much from most other commercial businesses, but the frequency and urgency at which the traps are emptied and maintained has a larger impact on public safety. Since obeying local ordinances and safeguarding the health and wellbeing of consumers is so essential for food processing plants, it’s important to entrust a reliable and reputable company like Food Grease Trappers to maintain and service your traps. If you require a trusted company to take care of your grease trap, contact us today.
