| Your myriad sinks are drained into the drainage or | | | | fines and surcharges might be imposed on |
| discharge system, which receives the liquid discharge | | | | restaurants if their effluent (outflow) exceeds the |
| created through the food and beverage preparation | | | | local standards for its percentage of fats, oil and |
| region. The first component of the discharge program | | | | grease (FOG, in industry jargon). |
| is on the sink itself: the trap. It is really a curved | | | | As waste materials enters the interceptor, it |
| section of pipe, where the lowest part of the pipe | | | | separates into three layers: The heaviest particles of |
| "traps" (or retains) some drinking water. | | | | food and dirt sink towards the bottom; the middle |
| The trap is known as a P trap when the drain pipes | | | | layer is mostly water, with a little bit of suspended |
| go into the wall; it is known as an S trap when the | | | | solids and grease in it; and the best layer is grease |
| drain pipes go into the ground. In addition to these | | | | and oil. The interceptor "traps" the top and bottom |
| traps, it's a great idea to have floor drains located | | | | layers whilst allowing the middle layer to flow away |
| directly beneath your larger sinks. The drains inside a | | | | into the sewage system. Interceptors come in |
| commercial kitchen area should have a dome strainer | | | | different sizes, and you ought to select a single |
| (or sediment bucket), much like a perforated sink | | | | based about the gallons of water that may run via it |
| stopper that traps bits of dirt and food as liquids go | | | | per minute, the number of appliances connected to it, |
| down the drain. | | | | and its capacity to retain grease. |
| For the heaviest-duty jobs, a ground drain having a a | | | | Cleaning the interceptor regularly is necessary simply |
| lot larger strainer compartment (called a sump) is | | | | because the bottom layer can clog pipes if allowed to |
| suggested. The sump is at least eight inches square. | | | | build up, and also the top layer can mix with, and |
| Kind 304 stainless steel is the preferred material for | | | | pollute, the middle layer too much. Most restaurants |
| drain fabrication, and coved corners make them | | | | hire a trap-cleaning service organization to handle this |
| easier to clean. Drains ought to not be flush using the | | | | unpleasant task. It is really a costly activity, and not |
| ground, but recessed slightly (about 1/16 of an inch) | | | | without legal ramifications. The support organization |
| to prompt water to flow toward them. | | | | should be licensed to haul the grease waste to |
| The drain pipe should be three to 4 inches in | | | | specially approved treatment areas. |
| diameter, and its interior walls must be coated with | | | | It's not enough anymore for a restaurateur to trust |
| acrylic or porcelain enamel that's both nonporous and | | | | that the grease is being taken care of. The smart |
| acid resistant. A nonslip ground mat, with slats for | | | | ones take a proactive approach. Once in a whilst |
| drainage, ought to be a standard accessory beneath | | | | you'll see news reports about such support |
| every sink.How many floor drains should you've in | | | | businesses that skirt the law by dumping waste |
| your kitchen? Let's count the locations in which drains | | | | materials into creeks or unapproved locations. You |
| are a must to catch spills, overflow, and dirty drinking | | | | would be wise to thoroughly research your area's |
| water from ground cleaning: | | | | grease removal requirements and to interview a |
| 1. Hot line region | | | | number of service businesses. Ask for, and contact, |
| 2. Prep and pantry region | | | | their references. |
| 3. By the pot sinks | | | | There are two kinds of interceptor cleaning: skimming |
| 4. Dishwashing area | | | | (removing the best layer) and a full pump-out of the |
| 5. Dry storage region | | | | tank. For most foodservice operations, skimming isn't |
| 6. Outside the walk-in refrigerator | | | | sufficient. The heavy, lower layer of particles must |
| 7. Wait stations/service locations | | | | also be filtered away. You may decide on a |
| 8. Near steam equipment | | | | combination of services-frequent skimming, with a full |
| 9. Through the bar sinks | | | | pump-out at normal intervals. |
| 10. Under the ice maker | | | | The types of foods you serve and your volume of |
| The ice maker has an additional unique drainage | | | | business should be your guidelines, along with a |
| requirement: a recessed floor. One smart concept is | | | | scientific measurement of the effluent to see how |
| to install several drains, inside a trench that's from a | | | | much FOG and/or chemicals it contains. In some |
| single to two feet wide and a number of feet long, | | | | cities, the penalties are so strict that restaurateurs |
| covered having a rustproof metal grate. This is really | | | | include a pretreatment step, adding fat-dissolving |
| efficient along the length of the hot line area or in | | | | chemicals or filtering the waste materials prior to it |
| the constantly wet dishroom. | | | | even gets towards the grease trap. Undercounter |
| When we talk about draining away waste materials, | | | | units operate using electricity to recover grease for |
| we're not just discussing water. The water often | | | | discarding as trash, not sewage. |
| contains grease, and grease disposal is an enormous | | | | Outside installation from the grease interceptor is |
| (and messy) problem in foodservice. A grease | | | | suggested, at a level that is a number of feet below |
| interceptor is needed by law in most towns and | | | | the kitchen area to use gravity in your favor in |
| cities. It's commonly recognized as a grease trap, | | | | grease elimination. Constructing inspectors seldom |
| even though the professional plumbing industry | | | | permit an interceptor to become located anywhere |
| discourages the use of this terminology. | | | | inside the constructing, but if it happens to be within, |
| Your area's building code will list which kitchen fixtures | | | | it ought to be flush using the kitchen floor. Early in |
| must be plumbed to the interceptor; usually, the | | | | the building process, a call to your local plumbing |
| water/waste output of the garbage disposal, | | | | inspector will supply the particulars for your city, and |
| dishwasher, and all sinks and ground drains must pass | | | | probably save you a lot of trouble. |
| via the interceptor prior to it enters the sewer. | | | | We should also discuss the "dry" component of the |
| Employee restrooms and on-premise laundry | | | | discharge program, which is recognized as the venting |
| appliances generally do not have to become | | | | system. Its main purpose is to avoid siphoning of |
| connected to the interceptor. | | | | water from the traps. Vents (known as "black |
| The role from the grease interceptor would be to | | | | vents") on both sides of the grease trap equalize the |
| prevent grease from leaving the restaurant's drainage | | | | air pressure throughout the drainage program, |
| program and clogging the city sewer system. | | | | circulating sufficient air to decrease pipe corrosion and |
| Foodservice wastewater is really a large problem for | | | | help remove odors. Vent pipes extend up and via the |
| sewers designed primarily for residential waste. Thus, | | | | roof, for kitchens and restrooms. |