Grease is commonly used to describe Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG). FOG is found in common food and food ingredients such as dairy products, meat, fish, butter, cooking oil, mayonnaise, dressings, gravies, sauces, nuts, coffee beans, and food scraps.
A grease trap sometimes referred to as a grease interceptor, is a plumbing device designed to separate fats, oils, and grease from wastewater and stops it from entering the sewer system. There are two primary types of grease traps. Interior traps are usually located in the kitchen area near the sink or dishwasher and tend to hold smaller amounts of FOG. Exterior traps are located outside the building, underground. Exterior traps are much larger, holding thousands of liters. All commercial kitchens whose wastewater contains fat, oils, and grease are required by law to have a properly installed and maintained grease trap.
As water from your sink passes through your grease trap, FOG will accumulate and make it more difficult for water to drain. This causes the trap to fill up. By having your trap regularly cleaned, you prevent it from overflowing and avoid expensive plumbing bills. Regularly cleaning your trap also reduces odors, which can be off-putting to your customers.
When you sign up for EcoZero grease trap service, our team will inspect your traps to determine cleaning frequency. Cleaning frequency will vary depending on the size of your trap and the amount of grease used in your kitchen. Metro Vancouver requires: Grease traps to be fully pumped out by a waste management company like EcoZero:
- When fats, oils, grease, and solids (combined together) are more than 25% of the total liquid depth OR
- Every 90 days (whichever occurs first), and sometimes as frequently as 30 days, and
- All components inspected that may affect its proper operation
Wastewater leaving the grease interceptor should not exceed the regulation limits of:
- 300 mg/L of oil and grease
- 600 mg/L of solids
Please also remember:
- Don't use enzymes or other agents that will allow grease to pass through the grease interceptor and go into the sewer
- Have someone on site who can open the grease interceptor for cleaning
More information about Metro Vancouver’s grease trap regulations:
When our service technician arrives to clean your traps:
- They’ll first open the trap and take a picture. This is to document what the trap looked like when they arrived.
- They’ll take another picture once your service is complete, so you can be sure that everything was done properly.
- After documenting its pre-service condition, the technician will begin to pump out your trap, making sure to scrape the sides to remove any accumulated FOG.
- They’ll also measure the contents to determine whether you meet your regulatory requirements.
- If you don’t, they’ll make a note to follow up with you to reassess your cleaning frequency.
Once your trap has been completely pumped out:
- The technician will take a picture and complete a report noting the details of your maintenance activities.
- You’ll receive a copy of this report shortly after your service.
- If city inspectors require a copy of your report, we can submit it for you and we will keep it on hand for 2 years.
