A Complete Beginers Guide To Grease Control Devices.

Grease control device is a device used to collect, contain, and remove food waste, including FOG from the wastewater while allowing the remaining wastewater to be discharged to the sanitary sewer system by gravity. 

When FOG ( fats, oil and grease) wastewater from dishwashers, floor drains or mop sink are discharged directly to the sewer line it solidify, accumulate and the pipes internal opening. 

Eventually, FOG can completely clog the inside of the pipe causing sewerage to backup, into the business, or sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) onto the streets and storm water system.

These SSOs can have a huge negative impact on peoples lives, polute rivers, lakes and streams, cause foul-smelling odors to the FSE or lead to business closure! And, worse release bacteria, viruses and other pathogens, spreading diseases and endangering public health.

All these negative results arise from failure to separate FOG and solid waste from wastewater before discharging to sewerage water.

To avoid these potential disaster and future losses of sewer lines repair, civic fines and business closures it's of paramount importance to install GCDs into your business and maintain them regularly.

Without further ado, let dive in........

Types Of GCD Equipments

There are different types of tools which vary from type and size. These are:

▶ large hydro-mechanical grease interceptors (large HGIs)

▶ Small hydro-mechanical grease interceptors (HGIs)

▶ And, Automatic Grease Removal Devices (AGRDs)

All vary in size and type.

Hydromechanical grease interceptors are formely known as grease traps. 

Both GCDs type and size are extremely important to how well the product functions with associated costs of the equipment varying widely.

When you begin budgeting for expanding or opening a new restaurant, make sure you understand your cost liability for GCDs as well stay informed that the equipment type could be regulated in your area so, before purchasing anything, contact your permitting authority with jurisdiction over over FOG discharge for details.

Without hesitate let look into different types of grease traps and grease interceptor, how they work, where they should be installed and lastly best grease tools maintenance practices

Hydro-mechanical Grease Interceptors (HGIs)

HGIs are made of steel, fiberglass or polyethylene.

There are three sub-types respectively:

1. Regular HGIs

2. Large HGIs

3. Automatic Grease Removal Devices (AGRDs)

1. Regular HGIs

 Small or regular HGIs are located inside the FSE and usually under a three (3) compartment sink or in the floor.

While manufacturing are of different designs, HGIs typically consists of single compartment with baffles/screens to slow down incoming water/FOG mixture and changing the liquids direction.

This direction shift forces air into the liquid mixture, allowing FOG to rise to the top, solids to sink to the bottom, and water to pass through the unit.

HGIs need flow control devices installed further up the pipes to slow water down so the baffles can do their work properly.

This "mechanical separation" allows HGIs to be much smaller than GGIs (a bit on this). They are sized based on flowers rate and the pounds of the FOG they store. 

Advantages Of Regular HGIs

• Requires less space to install

• Less expensive to install

• Can be made with durable polyethylene materials

• Lower maintenance costs

• Can be maintained by restaurants staff

Disadvantages Of Regular HGIs

• More frequent maintenance due to low storage space

• Potential indoor odors if lid not sealed.

• Typically requires health department approval.

2. Large HGIs

Large HGIs are typically installed outside either above or below ground, but require less excavation space due to their small footprint.

They are convergence of baffles/screens and flow control devices up the pipes to slow water down the baffles just like HGIs though compromise to the reality that large HGIs has larger FOG storage space.

Advantages Of Large HGIs 

• Uses less space than GGI (a bit on GGI)

• Less expensive installation than a GGI

• Made with durable polyethylene materials

• Lower maintenance costs per event than GGI

• Larger FOG storage space than a HGI.

• Airtight lids prevents odors

Disadvantages Of Large HGI

• Typically requires health department approval

• Restaurants cannot conduct maintenance

• Less FOG storage capacity than a GGI: therefore, more sufficient maintenance

3. Automatic Grease Removal Devices (AGRDs)

They are normally installed imdoors and connected to one to four sinks in the kitchen. 

AGRDs are typically made of steel and are equipped with baffles, screen basket that separates and contains food scraps and solids and external waste containers to store FOG waste.

Some are equipped with heaters, skimmers, pumps or pressure chambers to assist in the removal of the FOG.

Advantages Of AGRDs

• Doesn't require large space

• Lower maintenance cost per event 

• Self-cleaning resulting in less frequent complete pumping

• Preferred by sewer agencies over regular HGIs

• Can be maintained by restaurants staff

Disadvantages Of AGRDs

• Requires daily, weekly and monthly maintenance

• Extreme restaurants staff training required

• More expensive than passive HGI

• Can not be installed underneath

• No air tight seals; potential indoor odors

• Requires health department approval

And now, without delay let promptly check the last GCD: that's GGI..

Gravity Grease Interceptors (GGIs)

GGIs incorporate two or more connected compartments, with a minimum volume of 300 gallons.

There are no flow control devices in pipes or baffles in the GGI, therefore the GGI's design leverages it large tank size to slow water entering the device and let gravity separate the FOG from water.

Given sufficient space and time, floating grease and settled solids separate from kitchen wastewater and accumulate in the interceptor, while the FOG free water discharged to the sewerage plumbing.

GGIs are much larger than other interceptor designs because if the GGIs are small, the water will speed up and carry the floating FOG in the device with it and will with no time clog the down piping causing sanitary sewer overflows!

Cleaning and maintenance of this device should be done by a certified hauling contractor, who removes the GCD content and haul it to the recycling or disposal facility.

Advantages Of GGIs 

• Large FOG storage capacity

• Less maintenance

• Outside Installation for easy maintenance and inspection

• minimal contact by employees

Disadvantages Of GGIs

• Requires more space for installation

• Can be source of odors if not maintained properly

• More expensive to install

• Higher  maintenance cost per individual pumping events

Best Grease Control Devices Maintenance Practices

1. Grease Traps (HGIs) shall be opened, inspected and completely cleaned of food solids and FOG a minimum of once per week or when the total accumulation of food solids and FOG reaches twenty-five percent (25%) of the overall liquid volume; whichever comes first is accepted.

2. Grease interceptors (GGIs) shall be pumped out completely at a minimum of every 90 days or when the total accumulation of FOG, including floating and settled solids reaches twenty-five percent (25%) of the overall liquid volume.

Important: decanting or discharging of removed GCD content back into the equipment or into any portion of sewer system is strictly prohibited by sanitary district and or your city or local regulating authority.

3. Automatic Grease Removal Devices (AGRD) shall be opened and inspected for food solids and FOG buildup and check functionality of parts of the tool, a minimum of once every two weeks (bi-weekly).

The scraps or food solids collection basket and the grease collection bucket shall be emptied of contents a minimum of once per day.

Device inspection and complete cleaning shall be done a minimum of 90 days (quarterly).

Now that you have learnt types of GCDs, their usage and  and best GCDsMP it's time to get your piece of bonus content. Simply Read On.....

Do you know that RECORD KEEPING is very essential to your FSE long term thrive and success? I thought you should know!

FSE should maintain a GCD maintenance log for each GCD. The log should at a minimum contain:

✔ The name of the employee who performed the cleaning

✔ And, the date the GCD was cleaned.

If a certified hauler perform the cleaning a completed invoice shall be kept as a maintenance log.

The GCD maintenance log should be available on-site for inspection and copying by authorized sanitary district personnel at any given times!

Importantly FSEs must maintain a GCD maintenance log  for a minimum of three (3) years.

Also, a separate log for AGRD is required. And should contain at a minimum; the date, time and initials of the employee who emptied the food solids basket and the grease bucket.

The log must also indicate the bi-weekly inspection date and time as well as the date, time and initials of the certified employee who performed quarterly cleaning.

The AGRD log should be available on-site for inspection and copying by authorized local authority personnel all the times for a minimum of three (3) years.

Lastly, prior to utilizing additives to clean FSEs lateral drain lines, FSE should first contact the regulating authority in writing for approval.

The city or your local municipality shall then determine that such use of additives will have no adverse effect on the sanitary sewerage system before approval.

If proved to carry away FOG deposited on the GCDs when applied then use of such additives will definitely and completely be prohibited! 

NB: Yellow grease shall not be discharged through the FSEs lateral piping lather be disposed in a different renderable container bin to be sold and hauled by renderable facilities so it can be recycled to important varieties like; cosmetics. 

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