Frequently Asked Questions

FOG is an acronym for Fats, Oils and Grease.

• FATS are solid at room temperature.  Common fats are butter, shortening, margarine, peanut butter, meat trimmings, uncooked poultry skin, and dairy products:  cheeses, milk, cream, sour cream and ice cream.
• OILS are liquid at room temperature and include salad dressings and vegetable, canola, olive and corn oil.
• GREASE turns to liquid during cooking, but solidifies when cooled.  Gravy, mayonnaise, melted meat fat, bacon and sausage and boiled poultry skin are all sources of grease.

Preventing FOG buildup from blocking sewer lines will stop sewer overflows into yards, streets and storm drains.  Your tax dollars will not have to be spent on costly cleanups of sewage spills and regulatory fines.  Also, the quality of your water will be protected.

BMP is an acronym for Best Management Practices.  These are guidelines that will help both residential and commercial customers tackle grease in their homes or kitchens.

DO:

• Put used oil and grease in covered containers for proper disposal.
• Scrape all food from dishes, pots and pans into garbage bags and dispose of properly.
• Put screens in sinks to catch food solids and empty into the garbage can as needed.
• Avoid using your garbage disposal.  Egg shells, citrus rinds, coffee grounds, etc. do not dissolve and contribute to blockages.
• Wipe up FOG with paper towels and dispose of properly.

DON’T:

• Pour FOG down any type of drain.
• Put food scraps down the drain.
• Rinse FOG from dishes, pots, pans, fryers or griddles with hot water.
• Wipe up FOG with cloth towels and then throw those towels into the washing machine.

All of the BMP DO’s and DON’Ts for Residential Customers, plus…

• Sweep floors before mopping to keep debris out of floor drains.
• Sweep instead of hosing down parking lots, sidewalks and outside areas.
• Keep disposal and recycling containers in easy reach for kitchen employees.
• Install and maintain a properly-sized Grease Trap or Grease Interceptor.
• Train employees on FOG BMPs and grease trap maintenance.

A grease trap is a tank that is installed between a business’ sewer line and the public sewer main.  Its purpose is to hold the waste water long enough for the FOG to rise to the top and solidify and for the solid particles to settle to the bottom, allowing only water to enter the collection system.

Some grease traps are large tanks buried under ground that hold thousands of gallons. Others contain less than 50 gallons and are located immediately beneath kitchen sinks.  Regardless of size, all grease traps require cleaning to remove the top layer of FOG and the bottom layer of sediment.  Large tanks are cleaned by commercial operations that must also show proper waste disposal per state requirements.  Small grease traps can be cleaned by the business owner but each cleaning must be logged and the log provided upon inspection.

There is none.  These terms are used interchangeably.

The good news – If you are already pumping grease regularly and have trip manifest records onsite, nothing.  You are already in compliance and it will be business as usual.  Otherwise, it is now a requirement that you install and regularly maintain a grease trap.  The City of Hamilton will be doing random inspections.  Businesses that are found to be in violation of the ordinance will be given an opportunity for voluntary compliance.  Repeated failure to comply will result in fines being issued.