Doing business with fat, oil and grease

If you are in the food service industry, fat, oil and grease (FOG) are an unavoidable part of business. How you manage FOG can have an enormous impact on your business and the environment.

The Municipality prohibits businesses from pouring FOG down drains. It applies to all forms of FOG including (but not limited to) deep fryer fat, dressings, sauces, soups, coffee creamers, ice cream, cooking oil and meat scraps.

Improper disposal of FOG can clog pipes and cause sewer backups, overflows and odour problems. As a result, the business could face costly repairs, health hazards, interruptions in business operations and even fines.

FOG can also be a fire hazard. Buildup of oil and grease in cooking equipment can create blockages and damage to the venting systems (ducts and fans). Regular professional cleaning and maintenance of cooking equipment is required to reduce the risk of fire.

With scheduled maintenance and FOG management practices, you can protect your investment, avoid service interruptions, maintain a positive brand and eliminate enforcement issues.

FOG management

FOG is released into sewer systems through food preparation, washing and cleaning, maintenance and waste disposal processes. Businesses can reduce the FOG released into wastewater by incorporating some simple processes into their everyday routine.

Voluntary Log Program

Help control FOG by keeping track of the maintenance on grease traps and exterior grease bins. By keeping a log, you can schedule maintenance into your regular routines. It will prevent unscheduled downtime caused by repairs. You will also avoid odour problems, backups, interruptions and other negative impacts on your business.

Use the FOG Maintenance Log. Simply fill out the log every time you perform maintenance. TIP: Keep separate logs for your interior grease trap and exterior grease bin.

Businesses can also voluntarily send the maintenance log to the FOG team every quarter (Jan., April, July, Oct.). The FOG team can help you track your maintenance and keep on top of FOG.

For questions, or to submit your maintenance log, contact the FOG Team at fog@rmwb.ca or Pulse at 780-743-7000, 1-800-973-9663 (toll free) or PULSE.

Train your staff

Train staff to reduce the amount of FOG going down the drain. Use these practises:

Throw out solid food leftovers:

Before washing dishes, throw solid leftovers into the garbage. Coffee grounds, tea bags, gravy, fat or sauces should be thrown out and not put into the drain.

Use sink strainers:

Sink strainers will trap solids before they are washed down the drain.

Wipe before washing:

Pour pan grease into a container. Use a paper towel to wipe out the remaining grease in the pan before washing.

Strain your cooking oil:

Extend the life of cooking oil by straining or filtering it.

Don't scorch your cooking oil:

Extend the life of your cooking oil by controlling the temperature of deep fryers to prevent the oil from scorching.

Reduce, reuse and recycle:

Grease and oil can be valuable and recycled into useful products. Separate waste vegetable oil from grease trap contents, store in separate bins and contact a collection company for pick up.

Trap your grease:

Find a reliable grease collection company or grease trap service provider to maintain your trap and collect your grease.

Use less dish soap:

Minimize dish soap wherever you can. Dish soap catches FOG and enables it to pass through grease traps and later coagulate in sewer lines.

FOG disposal

Separate waste cooking oil from grease trap contents, store in separate bins and contact a professional grease collection company for pick up. The landfill does not accept commercial grease.

Grease traps

The Sanitary Sewer Utility Bylaw requires all hotels, restaurants, laundries and other such food facilities to install and maintain adequate grease traps.

Grease trap manufacturers recommend that the trap be cleaned about once every few days - that is completely drained, scraped with all solids and greases removed. This can depend on the size of the grease trap and the amount of material running through it.

We recommend that interior grease traps are cleaned before the combined FOG and food waste level exceeds 25 per cent of the volume of the trap, or within 30 days of the last service, whichever comes first.

Contact the Planning and Development Department for information about permits for plumbing alterations for grease traps. Email permit.inquiries@rmwb.ca or contact PULSE.

Dispelling the Myths: Bleach, detergents and enzymes

Fats, oil and grease in liquid form may not seem harmful. However, when you pour it down the drain it mixes with food and other waste, and then congeals and hardens in sewer pipes. As the fog builds up, it creates blockages in the sewer pipes which causes problems like backups and flooding.

Bleach and detergent

There is a common myth that hot water and bleach or detergent will clear FOG from pipes and sewer lines. The reality is that it will have little or no impact because the chemicals and detergents get quickly diluted in the sewer network. As a result, the FOG problem doesn't get eliminated. It just gets moved a little farther down the line.

Also, bleach is a powerful and toxic substance that should never be poured down the drain. Bleach can react with other substances and clog your system. It's also not environmentally friendly.

Enzymes

Another common myth is that enzymes will break down FOG and clear pipes and sewer lines. The reality is that enzymes simply push FOG a short distance down the line until it reaches municipal sewer systems. The FOG problems then become a burden on tax dollars for repair and service.

The RMWB discourages the use of enzymes because it is not a replacement for proper FOG disposal and management.

Frequently asked questions

Why is FOG a problem?

When FOG is not disposed of properly and allowed to go down the drain, it builds up over time in sewer systems and create blockages. These blockages can result in backups, costly repairs, property damage, interruption of service and damage to reputation. Remember, it's not just your business that could be paying for costly repairs. Tax dollars are also used to maintain and repair sewer systems throughout the region.

Can I pour FOG down the drain?

FOG should never be poured down the drain. The Sanitary Sewer Utility Bylaw regulates the types and amounts of materials that are permitted to be poured into municipal sanitary sewer systems. Fat, oil and grease are regulated under the bylaw, and those found violating the bylaw could be fined.

Is it against the law to pour FOG down the drain?

Yes. However, the Municipality's focus is to inform and educate residents and business owners rather than fine those that violate the bylaw. The Municipality's Sanitary Sewer Utility Bylaw regulates what may go down the drain and in what concentration limits.

What else should NOT go down the drain?

In addition to FOG, several things should not go down the drain. The following list provides an idea of potentially hazardous items that should never go down the drain.

Coffee grounds
Eggshells
Produce stickers
Cat litter
Paper towels
Flushable wipes
Cotton balls
Paint
Car fluids
Medications

What can I do with my FOG?

Commercial businesses need to separate waste vegetable oil from grease trap contents, store in separate bins, and contact a commercial waste disposal business for pickup.

Is my business required to have a grease trap?

The Municipality's Sanitary Sewer Utility Bylaw and Engineering Servicing Standards require all hotels, restaurants, laundries and other such food facilities to install and maintain grease traps of a proper design and adequate size.

Read the Grease trap section on this page to learn more about grease trap requirements.

What are the benefits of frequently cleaning my grease trap and proper FOG disposal?

There are many benefits to keeping grease traps clean and disposing FOG properly.

Aside from keeping your business compliant, there are many other benefits to keeping grease traps clean and disposing of FOG properly. Find the full list of benefits on this page under the Benefits of proper FOG disposal section on this page.

Can't I just use hot water and detergent to get rid of FOG?

No, this is not a proper way to dispose of FOG. Learn about the impact this could have on the sewer system in your community by reading the Bleach, detergents and enzymes on this page.

Can I pour enzymes down my drain to get rid of FOG?

This is not a proper or effective way to dispose of FOG. Unfortunately, enzymes have little or no impact once they are diluted in the sewer network. Learn more under the Enzymes section on this page.

What could happen if plugged lines occur?

Plugged lines could result in the interruption of laundry and dish washing activities, loss of toilets, health issues, flood damage to homes and streets, fire hazards or odours. In severe cases, blockages can shut down business until expensive repairs are completed. Some repairs requiring digs, pipe replacement or other flood repairs could cost tens of thousands of dollars.

What if my sewer pipes become blocked?

Sewer blockages can happen on either the business' property or along Municipal property. Responsibility for the repair will depend on the location of the blockage. Businesses are responsible for blocked pipes within their property lines.

Find steps on what to do in the event of a sewer blockage on Sewer Backups page.

Hazardous Waste

Hazardous waste such as paints, chemicals, degreasers and fuels should never be poured down the drain. They can be dropped off at the municipal landfill free of charge. You can also take your hazardous waste to the annual roundup events usually held in September. Find out more on the What Goes Where page.

Commercial Business FOG Program