Chapter 13.22
FATS, OIL AND GREASE (FOG) CONTROL PLANS
Sections:
13.22.010 Definitions.
13.22.020 FOG pretreatment and FOG plan required – When.
13.22.030 FOG plan requirements.
13.22.040 Installation requirements.
13.22.050 Effluent testing.
13.22.060 Recordkeeping.
13.22.070 Grease traps and grease interceptors – Cleaning and maintenance.
13.22.080 Oil/water separators required.
13.22.090 Access for inspections.
13.22.010 Definitions.
Unless the context specifically indicates otherwise, the definitions set forth in ACC 13.20.010 shall apply to this chapter. (Ord. 6152 § 5, 2008.)
13.22.020 FOG pretreatment and FOG plan required – When.
A. Businesses such as restaurants, cafes, lunch counters, cafeterias, bars, clubs, hotels, hospitals, factories, school kitchens, or other establishments that serve or prepare food where FOG may be part of the waste stream shall have grease traps, grease interceptors, or other approved pretreatment facilities in place to prevent the discharge of FOG to the sewer system.
B. Such businesses shall have an approved and implemented FOG control plan, and a business license for the business shall not be renewed or issued without an approved plan being on file with the city. (Ord. 6152 § 5, 2008.)
13.22.030 FOG plan requirements.
All FOG plans shall include the following:
A. A description of the facility type and a summary of products made and/or service provided.
B. A description of any food processing that occurs on site, including but not limited to the type of food service (sit down or take out), types of cooking (saute, deep fry, etc.), a description of the menu, and a list of kitchen fixtures with potential to contribute FOG to the sanitary sewer.
C. Schematics of process areas illustrating drains and discharge points connected to the sewer.
D. A description of current reduction, recycling, treatment activities, and best management practices.
E. Specific performance goals and implementation schedule including cleaning frequency. Include cleaning and waste disposal procedures if business will self-clean grease trap. (Ord. 6152 § 5, 2008.)
13.22.040 Installation requirements.
A. All FOG pretreatment facilities shall be installed, maintained, and operated by the business owner at his or her own expense. The pretreatment facility shall be adequately sized and located in a manner that provides ready and easy accessibility for cleaning and inspection at all times.
B. The grease interceptors must meet, at a minimum, the specifications of the current Uniform Plumbing Code and International Building Code adopted by the city at the time of construction. No food waste disposal shall be connected to or discharged into any grease trap or interceptor. No toilets shall discharge into an interceptor.
C. Increased volume of discharge (increased business) can become a factor, regarding the efficiency of the grease trap(s). As discharge volumes increase, the need for a larger grease trap(s) or an exterior grease interceptor may be necessary. If the facility’s waste stream discharge is not maintained within city standards, a pretreatment system upgrade will be required at the discharger’s expense. (Ord. 6152 § 5, 2008.)
13.22.050 Effluent testing.
The city of Auburn may require periodic testing of effluent by businesses when the city has a reasonable belief that the business is not meeting the FOG discharge standards set forth in ACC 13.20.140 based on:
A. Downstream testing; or
B. Evidence of FOG buildup downstream; or
C. Discharger records that are incomplete, false, or not made available for inspection; or
D. Evidence of tampering with pretreatment equipment; or
E. Evidence of use by the business of degreasers, “enzymes” or other chemicals which keep grease in suspension past the grease trap or interceptor; or
F. Other reasons established by facts which warrant a belief that the discharge standards are violated. (Ord. 6152 § 5, 2008.)
13.22.060 Recordkeeping.
Records and certification of maintenance, including copies of grease interceptor cleaning invoices, shall be made readily available to the city for review and inspection, and must be maintained by the business for a minimum of two years, or longer upon notification by the city. Copies of all maintenance and cleaning reports shall be sent in to the city within 10 days of service. (Ord. 6152 § 5, 2008.)
13.22.070 Grease traps and grease interceptors – Cleaning and maintenance.
A. The grease trap or grease interceptor shall be kept in continuous operation at all times and shall be maintained to provide efficient operation. Businesses shall not allow the addition of emulsifying agents for the purposes of emulsifying polar or nonsolid FOG. Interceptor cleaning shall be done only by a service contractor qualified to perform such cleaning. All material removed shall be disposed of in accordance with all city, county, state, and federal regulations.
B. Grease Interceptor Cleaning.
1. Grease interceptor maintenance shall include quarterly (four times annually) pumping and cleaning of the interceptor, which shall be set forth in the FOG plan. The business may request to modify the quarterly cleaning frequency, by demonstrating that all solids and grease layers reported over the previous 12 months were less than 15 percent of the interceptor’s capacity. The city reserves the right at any time to modify the FOG plan to increase the cleaning frequency, if the grease interceptor’s solids and grease layer exceed 25 percent of its capacity at any time in the previous 12 months.
2. Grease interceptor maintenance shall include removal of all FOG, solids and water from the grease interceptor. Skimming the surface layer of waste material, partial cleaning of the interceptor or use of any method that does not remove entire contents of the collection device does not constitute maintenance under this chapter. After a complete evacuation, the walls, top and bottom of the interceptor shall then be thoroughly scraped and the residue removed. The grease interceptor shall be filled with clean water before returning to service.
C. Grease Trap Cleaning.
1. Grease trap maintenance shall occur at the intervals set forth in the FOG plan, which shall not exceed 90 days. Grease trap maintenance shall include removal of the grease layer, scraping of baffles and removal of the sediment layer. The grease trap shall be filled with clean water before returning to service. A cleaning company, licensed to do business in the city of Auburn, may be employed to pump out the trap.
2. Self-Cleaning. A business may be allowed under its FOG plan to self-clear its grease trap(s) located inside a building provided:
a. The grease trap is no more than 55 gallons in liquid/operating capacity.
b. Whenever the grease trap is inspected or cleaned, seams and pipes are checked for leaks, and the baffles and flow-regulating devices checked for effective operation.
c. All FOG and food waste (including caked-on FOG and waste) is removed from the grease trap and its baffles.
d. Oil and grease are skimmed from the surface of the water and placed in a watertight container.
e. Solids are removed from the bottom of the grease trap and placed in a watertight container.
f. The grease trap is filled with clean water before returning to service.
g. The business records the date of cleaning and the amount of material removed from the grease trap in a maintenance log, and reports the information to the city under the terms of the FOG plan.
h. All grease trap waste is placed in a leak-proof, sealable container(s) located on the premises, and shall be disposed of by either:
i. Contracting with a licensed cleaning company to pick up the collected waste; or
ii. Absorbing all free liquid with a dry absorbent and dispose as solid waste in a watertight container.
D. It is a violation of this chapter to discharge any waste, including FOG and solid material, removed from the grease trap to any drainage piping connected to the sanitary sewer or the storm drainage system. (Ord. 6152 § 5, 2008.)
13.22.080 Oil/water separators required.
Businesses that operate automobile and truck repair facilities, steam cleaning facilities for motorized equipment, car sales lots, filling stations or any other establishment where petroleum-based grease and oil may be introduced to the sewer system shall have pretreatment facilities to prevent the discharge of oil and grease. These pretreatment facilities must be oil/water separators or interceptors located to collect such mixtures of grease, oil and water. Pretreatment facilities shall be in accordance with city and Washington State Department of Ecology standards. Businesses shall maintain, inspect and clean oil/water separators on a schedule that provides for effective operation.
Oil/water separators shall be inspected monthly or more frequently, as needed, by the owner. API oil/water separators shall be cleaned before the oil layer reaches three inches in depth. Coalescing plate separators shall be cleaned before the plates are coated with silt and/or solids. Cleaning shall include removal of all oil, water, and sediment, and refilling the separator with clean water. Cleaning shall be performed by a qualified service contractor. All material removed shall be disposed of in accordance with all federal, state, and/or local laws. (Ord. 6152 § 5, 2008.)
13.22.090 Access for inspections.
The provisions of ACC 13.20.500, Access for inspections, shall apply to inspections conducted under this chapter. (Ord. 6152 § 5, 2008.)