Quest Recycling Services, LLC

Food Services FOG & Grease Trap Best Practices

How can I minimize grease spills?

To minimize grease spills, it is essential to regularly train your staff and communicate with your employees the measures to clean Fat Oil Grease (FOG) spills. The following are trusted grease trap management best practices measures that will help minimize grease spills and ensure FOG is properly captured:

Dispose of food waste directly into trash containers.
Dry-wipe pots, pans, and dishware, prior to washing.
Use proper equipment such as the grease caddy for skimming FOG collected in the grease trap.
Use absorbent material to soak up FOG under fryer baskets.
Place covers on containers before transporting used oil and grease to recycling barrels.

How can you make sure the indoor grease trap works properly?

Grease trap management best practices should also cover the indoor grease trap. The grease interceptor is a device designed to separate and retain FOG and solids from wastewater discharged from the Food Service Establishment (FSE). It is normally installed under or next to the sink, and it helps prevent the sewer line from clogging.

Make sure the dishwasher bypasses the grease trap. High temperature and large volumes of water from a dishwasher can reduce the efficiency of a grease trap by dissolving retained FOG and washing contents of the trap into the sewer line.

Do not discharge wastewater with temperatures in excess of 140 degrees F into any grease trap. Temperatures in excess of 140 degrees will dissolve FOG, wash out all contents of a grease trap and send waste FOG into the sewer line. The FOG will re-solidify and cause blockage further downstream in the sewer lines as the wastewater cools off.

Schedule a routine, in-depth cleanup by calling Quest Recycling. Regular cleaning will minimize FOG accumulation and prevent plugging of the sewer line between you facility and the sanitary sewer system.

Skim off the accumulated FOG from grease trap into the recycling barrel daily or more frequently as deemed necessary.

How can you make sure the outdoor grease trap works properly?

Grease trap management best practices should also cover the indoor grease trap. The grease interceptor is a device designed to separate and retain FOG and solids from wastewater discharged from the FSE this needs to be defined first before being abbreviated. Not sure what it means ? JLB]. It is normally a concrete box, usually installed underground, located outside of the FSE's building, and connected to the sewer line serving the FSE. It protects the city sewer system from accumulating FOG and helps prevent sewer blockages.

Schedule a routine in depth cleanup by contacting Quest Recycling to pump all the accumulated solids and ensure proper functioning of the trap. Regular and proper service maximizes interceptor efficiency, prevents spills and minimizes odor.

Run cold water into the grease trap after a service is completed.

Keep a maintenance log to document the frequency of cleaning. The maintenance log serves as a record of the cleaning schedule. The city's Industrial Waste Inspector will ask to review these records while conducting inspections. A soft copy of all your grease trap manifests is stored electronically and available at www.questrecycling.com for your convenience.