Water Pollution from Grease

Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD)

Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) is a measurement relating to the amount of oxygen in water to support aquatic life. Waste water with organic materials (food solids, restaurant grease) serves as food for aquatic micro-organisms. The micro-organisms feed on organic materials. Micro-organisms multiply consuming increasing oxygen quantities. When oxygen levels in water drop, fish and other aquatic life will not survive. Eliminating restaurant grease from the sewer will vastly improve the BOD levels of our lakes, streams, and rivers. Most municipalities are recording BOD levels and charging restaurants accordingly. Are your grease traps performing to compliance?

Ontario Biological Oxygen Demand Limit

300 mg/Litre (maximum allowed in grease trap)

Total Suspended Solids (TSS)

Total Suspended Solids (TSS) are solid organic and inorganic materials that suspend in water. Suspended solids, in layman's terms, is similiar to stirring up the sand near the shore of a lake. The water turns cloudy from the suspended solids. Total suspended solids must be coarse enough to be trapped by a coffee filter. The materials include natural, industrial, and commercial wastes. In a restaurant or commercial kitchen facilities, food solids as well as fat, oil, and grease heavily contribute to TSS counts. Food Solids accumulate in conventional grease trap devices. Food solids bypass unmaintained conventional grease traps.

Daily, 10-20 pounds of food solids enter the drain from QSR Restaurants using Passive Grease Interceptor Technology

Suspended solids absorb heat from sunlight, which increases water temperature and decreases levels of oxygen (cooler water holds more oxygen than warmer water). Since aquatic plants receive less light, photosynthesis decreases and less oxygen is produced. The combination of warmer water, less light and less oxygen makes it impossible for aquatic life to live. Suspended solids affect marine life in many ways. They clog fish gills, reduce growth rates, decrease disease immunity, and taint egg and larval development. Food Particles that settle on lake and river beds smother fish and insect eggs. Hatched larvae suffocate. Food Solids that settle in the spaces between rocks destroy the habitat of bottom living life.

Ontario Total Suspended Solids Limit

350 mg/Litre (maximum level allowed in grease trap)

Make Green Choices

Why do we pour grease trap chemicals and enzymes down the drain, man-made, natural, or biological? Why do municipalities allow the sale of grease trap chemicals and enzymes? Snow and rainwater should only enter into rivers, lakes and streams. Grease traps and sanitary sewers are not garbage disposals. Fish, plants, and aquatic life should not cohabitate with grease trap bacterias, chemicals, or enzymes. Save your lakes, rivers, drinking water and money with Goslyn Automatic Grease Trap Systems (Grease Recovery Device).

Goslyn Grease Recovery Devices

Improving Environmental Quality