This post celebrates the second year of Grease Traps in the news, your one-stop-shop for all grease-trap related news, from all parts of the US and beyond. As always, we’re highlighting the various issues that can arise around grease traps, from failing to meet health, business, and sewer regulations to the importance of regular maintenance and servicing and what failing to do these things can cost you. This time around, we’re covering everything from grease traps flooding residential neighborhoods to better sewers through the power of science (but not in the way you think). [Read more…]
What Happens If Your Restaurant Causes a Sewer Overflow?
There’s a reason the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mandates that all municipalities in the US have policies to control the Fats, Oils, Grease, and food Solids (FOGS) that enter the waste systems. FOGS is estimated to cause over 50% of all sewer overflows, creating restrictions and blockages in sewer pipes by slowly attaching and accumulating to the walls of the pipes and drawing more solids and other FOGS particles into its sticky mass. The resulting constricted water flow leads to sewer overflows in the streets or even into the floors and basements of homes and businesses. Learn about what it can cost you if your restaurant causes a combined sewer overflow. [Read more…]
Fatbergs in the US: Victories, Losses, and Infrastructure
If you’ve been paying attention to the news, you may have seen a recent article with a familiar word if you read our monthly blog: fatberg. In this story, covered by various news sources (our favorite was Divers swim through 90 feet of raw sewage to unclog giant, hairy ‘fatberg’ from the NY Post), covers a North Carolina fatberg – a collection of various materials held together by congealed grease and less savory filth – that had plugged the Plum Island Wastewater Treatment Center. This article, while disgusting and humorous by itself, highlights the issues US wastewater systems face, especially when it comes to what individuals and businesses flush down the drains. [Read more…]
Grease Traps in the News: 2018 Summer Edition
It’s already been a year of the “In the News” series, where we look and highlight various grease trap related news located in and around the United States. As always, we’re highlighting the various issues that can arise around grease traps, from failing to meet regulation and regular maintenance to grease trap safety and legislation. This time around, we’re covering the importance of certified maintenance, the “Uber for grease traps,” and a new UK association to help prevent fatbergs from forming. [Read more…]
What Happens to the Oil and Grease We Haul Away?
Here at Food Grease Trappers, we take our dedication to green practices and the environment seriously – after all, our entire industry is based around preserving the environment of both people and nature by prevent sewer overflows (both controlled and not) and keeping your kitchen and its pipes clean. We recycle all that humanly possible when it comes to both yellow grease (waste vegetable oil) and brown grease (FOGS pulled from traps). For those who want to learn a little more: this blog it for you! [Read more…]
What to Watch Out for When Installing a Grease Trap System
The only thing worse than an overflowing grease trap is an overflowing grease trap that’s been poorly installed. A bad install can complicate every aspect of a grease trap or interceptor, from being able to know when it needs service, to breakdowns of the trap, to difficult or impossible to service due to awkward placement or conflicting machinery. Today we’ll look at three of the major issues you should look at before installing your grease trap to avoid troubles down the line. [Read more…]
Grease Traps in the News: Spring Edition
Spring has sprung and with it new news in the world of grease traps. The weather might be warming up, but that doesn’t always bode well for the grease traps of restaurants. Below you’ll find three tales that “rose to the top” of our news feeds, from near tragedy avoiding by a father’s quick thinking to a smelly situation that caused a local resident to sue. [Read more…]
The Science of Grease Backups and Overflows
From Arne Hendriks on Flickr
If you’ve spent any time in Food Grease Trapper blog archives, it should come as no surprise to you when we say “you shouldn’t dump grease down the drain.” However, some people ask why, and aren’t satisfied with the short answers of “your restaurant is required to have one, it can clog your pipes, and damage your sewers water treatment plants.” For those people who want the “why” behind it, we’ve written this blog to look at the science behind horrible things happening to your building and sewer when you don’t have a grease trap installed. [Read more…]
The Importance of Security for Below Ground Grease Traps
Here at Food Grease Trappers, when we’re talking about security, we’re usually referring to securing your waste vegetable oil from theft. However, today we’re talking about securing your grease trap if you have a below-ground model located outside the restaurant. While the purpose of this security is to also prevent people from gaining access, you’re doing it for the safety of others than as a deterrent from theft. You may not always keep up with grease trap news, but we do. And recently making headlines again is another child falling into an unsecured grease trap, and this needs to stop. [Read more…]
Grease Traps in the News: Winter Edition
As we reach the end of winter and dig ourselves out of the most recent nor’easter, let’s look back on how grease traps and their restaurants have been fairing. For some restaurants winter (especially bad winters) means a decrease of customers and therefore less strain on the grease trap. While many cafes see are flocked by natives and tourists alike, and the holidays themselves can lead to surges of celebrations that can strain restaurant grease interceptors and wastewater systems alike. It’s a mixed bag. [Read more…]
