Brown Grease to Landfill

Think About this:

Fill-up an in-ground grease interceptor with restaurant grease

Pump-out the grease interceptors when 25% full (standard)

Pump-out the grease interceptor 4 times per year

One (1) gallon of soybean oil weighs 7.68 pounds

1000 gallon grease interceptor - 7,680 lbs - brown grease to landfill / yr

1500 gallon grease interceptor - 11,520 lbs - brown grease to landfill / yr

2000 gallon grease interceptor - 15,360 lbs - brown grease to landfill / yr

5000 gallon grease interceptor - 38,400 lbs - brown grease to landfill / yr

*** Brown grease will weigh more than pure soybean oil ***

A single restaurant produces an estimated 800 to 17,000 pounds of grease annually, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Brown Grease

Definition - Brown Grease (Landfill)

Fat, oils, grease, (FOG) and food solids that rot and increase in content within passive grease traps and grease interceptors from foodservice facilities. Brown grease is commonly referred to as grease trap waste or grease sludge. Brown grease attracts cockroaches from the sewer sanitary system. Brown grease is a never ending source of food for cockroaches.

Yellow Grease

Definition - Yellow Grease (Biodiesel)

Fat, oils, grease, (FOG) that are recovered from a grease recovery device (GRD) is yellow grease. As well, Waste vegetable oil from deep-fryers is classified as yellow grease. Yellow grease contains few food solids therefore no decay, rot, or rancid odours. Yellow grease from a GRD is considered "Gold" to biodiesel manufacturers. Dewatering and particle filtering are part of the process of turning yellow grease into biofuel. Water content and food particles in yellow grease from a GRD are insignificant. (less than 1 percent)

Yellow grease has grown to a half-billion dollar per year industry

Yellow grease is Recyclable for Biodiesel

Grease Trap / Interceptor Pumping

Passive grease traps and grease interceptors should be emptied or pumped out every 4-6 weeks. Grease Trap pumping rarely occurs on a regular schedule. Many restaurants commit to grease trap pumping when the odour from the interceptor becomes intolerable.

FOG (Fats, oils, and grease) is an organic substance made from animal fats and plants. Imagine, a chicken breast left on the counter for 1 week. The chicken would rot and decay. The rancid smell would be unbearable. The same principle applies with grease traps and grease interceptors within a restaurant facility. The restaurant grease and food solids transform into unrecyclable brown grease. When brown grease from passive grease traps is pumped out, the brown grease has no value. Brown grease impacts landfill and hazardous waste sites in Canada, USA, and Mexico.

A grease trap pumping truck is a large and annoying inconvenience to any dining facility. When grease trap pumping occurs the restaurant kitchen can not operate. A large hose is brought inside the kitchen to pump-out the brown grease from the grease interceptor. The pumping noise is extremely loud. Grease interceptor pumping will usually occur from the outside of the restaurant. The noise of grease trap pumping will always be an annoyance to the staff and the clientele.

Grease trap pumping is not free. The price of gasoline is rising with no signs of decrease. The cost to send a grease trap pumping truck to a restaurant facility is also increasing.

The perpetual cost of grease trap / interceptor pumping, unsafe work conditions, as well as the environment impact from brown grease should be factored in to the running of a succesful restaurant operation.

Brown Grease Landfill Statistics

If a restaurant has a 50 lb grease trap. (small restaurant) The grease trap should be pumped out 8-12 times per year. (recommended) A restaurant alone would put 400 lbs of brown grease per year into city landfill sites. If there are 100 restaurants in your city, then 40,000 lbs of brown grease is deposited to landfill annually.

2008 City Restaurant Permits