How Does a Grease Trap work?

Maybe you’ve heard of grease traps if you run a commercial food establishment, maybe you haven’t. If you have, you may be wondering if you need to have one installed for your business. Let’s have a look at what is a grease trap, how grease trap work, and why do you need to have one installed.

What is a Grease Trap?

Commercial food serving establishments and food processors generate a significant amount of fats, oils, and grease in the daily operations. If the fogs are not treated before they enter the main drainage system where they accumulate and over time cause blockages. and cause serious problems.

A grease trap also known as a grease interceptor or grease retention unit ( GRU ) -is a device designed to prevent fats, oils, and grease from entering the wastewater drains and sewer system. They come in two distinctive type – passive and automatic.

How does a Grease Trap work?

Whilst they both fundamentally do the same work.
Passive traps simply slow the wastewater down long enough for them to cool and separate – the lighter fats, oils and grease float to the surface and the heavier food solids sinking to the bottom. The clean wastewater in the middle escapes out through the trap outlet.

Automatic traps as the name suggest automatically catch the fog’s after separation by skimming it into a collection vessel from where it is safely stored for collection. It is “retained” in the unit for later disposal. The solid food waste is periodically removed or ” de sludged” from time to time. The automatic unit normally used a heat source to assist with separation.

Why do you need a Grease Trap?

It’s expected that in 2019 the control of fats, oils, and grease legislation will be rigidly enforced nationwide by state agencies. This will include but not limited to, an application for a discharge license, 4 annual inspections, and compulsory wastewater sampling and testing. Those who are in breach of the act will, depending on the level of pollution, face censure, and severe ongoing fines.

Water Pollution act 1977 & 1990

All food service outlets are required to have a discharge license under the Local Government (Water Pollution) Act 1977 and 1990. It is an offence to cause or permit the discharge of any trade effluent or other matter (other than domestic sewage or stormwater) to a sewer, except under and in accordance with a license issued by the appropriate regulatory authority.”

If you are worried about these regulations, we are here to help you become compliant. Ecotec are experts in the provision of grease trap management, maintenance, and supply. We offer a broad range of grease trap management services to suit the individual needs of every kind of domestic and commercial catering establishment.

Grease Trap Management Process

Years of experience has taught us that no two sites are ever exactly the same. For this reason, we don’t subscribe to a “One Size Fits All” solution for grease management. Our preferred method is to do a proper site survey before we recommend equipment or a maintenance schedule. This allows us to tailor a service that in our best judgment, is ideal for your particular needs and circumstances, whether your establishment is a small local restaurant, a large skyscraper, a sports stadium or any other hot food catering concern. We work in partnership with all the major grease trap management manufacturers and have been trained to the highest standard in the installation and maintenance of their respective units.