ABSTRACT/SYNOPSIS
The food industry especially the restaurant industry is one of the fastest growing industries in recent times. In the US alone, the foodservice facilities such as restaurants and fast-food establishments is worth approximately $978 billion as per data released by ERS USDA. Fried food, processed meats all are major sources of oil and grease production. Thus, restaurants are one of the major contributors of fats, oil, and grease (FOG) in wastewater streams. It is estimated that approximately 250 million gallons of yellow grease is produced annually in the US alone. The infographic on the left summarizes statistics on grease production in the US as per data released in 2008. Poor management of FOG discharges can cause severe issues for wastewater collection and treatment facilities. FOG scales can deposit in pipes, pumps, and other infrastructure leading to sanitary sewer overflows (SSO) and ultimately expensive rehabilitation and construction costs. One of the major detrimental impacts of FOG accumulation is on the aquatic lives living in the natural water sources due to presence of oily water due to FOG releases from wastewater treatment plants into water bodies.
Part 1 of this topic titled – ‘GUIDANCE ON COMMERCIAL KITCHEN FOG MAINTENANCE’ discussed some of the techniques used for treating FOG in commercial kitchens. This article discusses some of the best management practices for commercial/restaurant FOG issues. It is the second part of commercial kitchen FOG maintenance. It is part of a new venture by Sani Service on Bio Cleaning of Sewer Pipes. Sani Service are now exclusive distributors of Smart Pipe Systems product viz. Biotroop BL-20 for efficient, ecological, and sustainable cleaning and maintenance of sewer pipeline across the UAE especially in commercial applications such as restaurants. Sani Service has been at the forefront of providing their customers with the latest products and sustainable and ecological disinfection treatment technologies available for Sewer Pipe Maintenance and Cleaning. With “Bio Cleaning of Sewer Pipes”, Sani Service aims to educate and inform their customers about the fundamentals of residential and commercial grease trap maintenance and sewer disinfection treatments primarily used for preventing pipe blockages and odor control.
RESTAURANT BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR FOG
COMMERCIAL KITCHEN FOG MANAGEMENT
- Grease Recycle/Disposal Systems
Most restaurants collect grease/used oils in storage containers placed outside the restaurants which is collected by professional grease collection services. These companies test the oil for pesticides and other contaminants and then place the oil in settling tank to remove solids, heat the remnants in a vacuum to volatize impurities and then sell separately to companies to use for soap production, skincare products, animal feed additives, etc.
- Grease Trap/Interceptors –
Grease control devices or Grease Interceptor (GI) are equipment that separate the solid waste from fats, oils, and grease (FOG) and collect this harmful oily waste in a separate tank, thus preventing toxic products entering the main sewer system or septic tank. There are several types of GI available in the market – Gravity Grease Interceptors (GGI), Hydro-Mechanical Grease Interceptor (HGI), Large HGI, and Automatic Grease Removal Devices (AGRD).
- Hood and Vent Maintenance –
Hood and Vent systems are typically installed above the fryers/cooking stove to capture the fumes/vapors containing oil and grease from the food processing. It is essential that these systems be cleaned regularly otherwise FOG may buildup over time. Excess FOG buildup can result in poor air quality, foul odors, and higher risks of kitchen fires.
SMART PIPE SYSTEM – Biotroop BL -20
The Biotroop BL-20 is a bacteriological/microbial based disinfectant. The all natural Biotroop BL-20 liquid solution is dosed into the pipe network via programmable Smart Pipe dosing pumps, preferably overnight. Overnight, bacteria put into a pipe can become a huge army of bacteria as soon as they are “activated”. These bacteria will eat most of the organic matter found on the pipe walls. The Biotroop BL-20 product is predominantly used to treat FOG issues in commercial restaurants and food establishments such as hotels, shopping malls, cruise lines, but Smart Pipe System have clients across different industries such as real estate operators, water, and wastewater treatment facilities. The Biotroop BL-20 product is completely organic and non-pathogenic, thus environmentally friendly. The species used in this product are “Class 1” category i.e., lowest risk category according to international classification schemes. They are also non-hazardous according to Council Directive 2000/54/EC.
REFERENCES
- Jameel, A. T., Muyubi, S. A., Karim, M. I. A., & Alam, M. Z. (2011). Removal of oil and grease as emerging pollutants of concern (EPC) in wastewater stream. IIUM Engineering Journal, 12(4).
- http://www.waterindustry.org/Water-Facts/FOG-1.htm
- https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-markets-prices/food-service-industry/market-segments/
- https://hrfog.com/Home/Learn
- https://www.vbgov.com/government/departments/public-utilities/Regulatory-Programs/FOG/Documents/Kitchen%20Best%20Management%20Practices%20Brochure.pdf
- https://evergreengrease.com/posts/restaurant-fog-management-101
- https://www.ocsan.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/538/637496247892900000
- https://www.smartpipe.fi/en/smartpipe/biotroop-product/
