Residential oil and grease disposal and best management practices – Part 2

November 21, 2021
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ABSTRACT/SYNOPSIS

Residential cooking fat, oil, and grease (FOG) can be a major cause of sewer pipe blockages and overflow of sanitary sewer systems increasing complications for wastewater treatment facilities. Cooking is one of the most routine activities of human life. However, it is often forgotten that high temperatures coupled with flammable substances such as oil/ grease can facilitate fires. As per data reported in 2014-2018, cooking was the major cause of reported home fires and injuries and second leading cause of home fire deaths. Oil and grease are the primary source of kitchen fires. Ignition of hot cooking oil can easily cause fires. The frequency and increased risk of oil and grease fires indicate the need for increased consumer awareness and education on how to dispose/store oil and grease from residential cooking. The percentage of population cooking at home has increased significantly since the Covid-19 pandemic. Increased cooking especially elaborate meals during holiday season involving deep frying and high usage of oils has resulted in increased percentage of FOG discharges from residential complexes.

Part 1 of this article titled – ‘RESIDENTIAL GREASE TRAP MAINTENANCE’ discussed about the Dos and Don’ts of Grease Trap Maintenance for residences. A common misbelief is that running hot water and turning garbage disposal while pouring grease down the drain will not clog the pipes. It is therefore imperative to implement some best management practices to avoid overload of the residential septic tank system and thus preventing sanitary sewer overflows and associated health risks. This article provides a quick guidance for residential owners on some of the best management practices to store and dispose Oil and Grease from residential cooking and thus reduce problems arising from Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG) in their kitchen. 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.  

RESIDENTIAL OIL AND GREASE DISPOSAL AND BMPs (BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES)

    1. Disposal of Used Cooking Oil and Grease
      Figure 1 summarizes steps to be taken for disposal of used cooking oil and grease. NEVER pour used oil/grease down the drain, toilets, or into garbage disposal. Remove all grease and food scraps from the utensils into the kitchen trash. Leftover oil should be allowed to cool down, poured into a container, placed in a plastic bag, and finally thrown into the trash can.

  1. Reuse of Used Oil a Home
    Cooking oil can be reused for few times before disposal or recycle if the oil has not reached its smoke point and does not smell rancid. To ensure reuse of oil is not hazardous to health, it should be properly strained and stored after it cools into an airtight container so that bacteria does not feed on the food particles left in the oil. Unrefrigerated oil becomes anaerobic and can cause food poisoning.
  2. Recycle Cooking Oi
    Some municipalities collect used kitchen grease and oil for recycling. Private professional grease collection services are also available. Homeowners can drop-off their used oil and grease stored in containers to either of these facilities. 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.

SMART PIPE SYSTEM – Biotroop BL -20

The Biotroop BL-20 is a microbial cleaning product from SmartPipe Systems for maintenance of sewage pumping stations, sewers, pipes, etc. The product is manufactured under standards ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. The microbial-based cleaning process is completely natural and environmentally friendly. Microbes activate and consume the organic waste and eliminate foul odors. Although the Biotrool BL-20 product is currently designed for larger applications such as restaurants and water treatment facilities, Smart Pipe System is launching a miniature version of the dosing pump that can be utilized to prevent bloackages in kitchen and washrooms in private house

 

REFERENCES

  1. Keener, K. M., Ducoste, J. J., & Holt, L. M. (2008). Properties influencing fat, oil, and grease deposit formation. Water environment research, 80(12), 2241-2246.
  2. https://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Files/News-and-Research/Fire-statistics-and-reports/US-Fire-Problem/Fire-causes/oscooking.pdf
  3. https://www.budgetdumpster.com/blog/how-to-dispose-cooking-oil/
  4. https://www.jea.com/about/wastewater/fats,_oils_and_grease/
  5. https://www.livestrong.com/article/532582-the-hazards-of-reusing-cooking-oil/
  6. https://www.ccwa.us/proper-disposal-of-f-o-g/
  7. https://www.smartpipe.fi/en/smartpipe/biotroop-product/

 

Meet our Expert

Abhiram Satyadev has a Masters in Environmental Engineering at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, an MBA at Goldey Beacom College in Delaware, and a Masters Certificate in Standford University. He is currently the Program Manager, Potomac Interceptor for the DC Water in Washington DC. He is responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining the Potomac Interceptor Renewal Facility specifically including operation and maintenance of odor control facilities at the Potomac Interceptor Sites and Pump Stations.

With Saniwater, he serves as our Research and Development Consultant and provides us with insights into his expertise. Read his section here on www.saniwater.com to know more.