Chapter 13.09
FATS, OIL, AND GREASE (FOG) CONTROL PLANS
Sections:
13.09.020 FOG pretreatment and FOG plan required.
13.09.030 FOG control plan requirements.
13.09.040 Installation requirements.
13.09.070 Grease traps and grease interceptors – Cleaning and maintenance.
13.09.080 Oil/water separators required.
13.09.090 Access for inspections.
13.09.010 Definitions.
Unless the context specifically indicates otherwise, the definitions set forth in Chapter 13.08 YMC shall apply to this chapter. (Ord. 1095 § 1 (Exh. A), 2023; Ord. 1041 § 1, 2018).
13.09.020 FOG pretreatment and FOG plan required.
A. All food processing establishments, food sales establishments, food service establishments, or other facilities that discharge polar or nonpolar grease to a wastewater system located within the boundaries of the city’s wastewater system are required to install, operate and maintain an approved type and adequately sized gravity pretreatment system to prevent the discharge of FOG to the sanitary sewer collection system. Take-out food establishments or other establishments that prepare food, but do not cook in oil or grease, and who serve food only in disposable containers, may be exempted from this requirement, provided their discharges will not violate the general discharge prohibitions of this chapter.
B. All businesses that have a pretreatment system shall prepare a FOG control plan. The plan must be approved by the city and implemented by the business. The city will not issue or renew a business license without an approved plan being on file with the city. (Ord. 1095 § 1 (Exh. A), 2023; Ord. 1041 § 1, 2018).
13.09.030 FOG control plan requirements.
FOG control plans shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
A. A description of the facility type and a summary of products made and/or services provided.
B. A description of any food processing that occurs on site, including but not limited to the type of food service, types of cooking, 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 and cleaning and waste disposal procedures if the business will clean grease trap.
F. Identification of any garbage or refuse products that may require shredding. Shredding of products shall meet such specifications as may from time to time be established by the director. The installation and operation of any garbage grinder equipped with a motor of 0.75 horsepower (0.76 hp metric) or greater shall be subject to the review and approval of the director. (Ord. 1095 § 1 (Exh. A), 2023; Ord. 1041 § 1, 2018).
13.09.040 Installation requirements.
A. All FOG pretreatment systems shall be installed, maintained, and operated by the business owner at his or her own expense. The pretreatment system must be adequately sized and located in a manner that provides ready and easy accessibility for cleaning and inspection at all times.
B. Grease interceptors must meet 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 may be discharged into any grease trap or interceptor. No toilets shall discharge into an interceptor.
C. If discharge volumes increase, the need for a larger grease interceptor or an exterior grease trap 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 business’s expense. (Ord. 1095 § 1 (Exh. A), 2023; Ord. 1041 § 1, 2018).
13.09.050 Effluent testing.
The city may perform periodic testing of effluent by businesses when the city has a reasonable belief that the business is not meeting the FOG discharge standards based on any of the following reasons:
A. Downstream testing;
B. Evidence of FOG buildup downstream;
C. Discharger records that are incomplete, false, or not made available for inspection;
D. Evidence of tampering with pretreatment equipment;
E. Evidence of use by the business of degreasers, enzymes or other chemicals which keep grease in suspension past the grease trap or interceptor;
F. Other reasons established by facts which warrant a belief that the discharge standards are violated. (Ord. 1095 § 1 (Exh. A), 2023; Ord. 1041 § 1, 2018).
13.09.060 Recordkeeping.
Records and certification of all maintenance, including copies of pretreatment systems cleaning invoices, shall be sent in to the city and 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. (Ord. 1095 § 1 (Exh. A), 2023; Ord. 1041 § 1, 2018).
13.09.070 Grease traps and grease interceptors – Cleaning and maintenance.
A. The addition of emulsifying agents for the purposes of emulsifying polar or nonsolid FOG is not allowed.
B. Grease Interceptor Cleaning.
1. 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.
2. The FOG control plan must include a requirement that the interceptor be pumped and cleaned quarterly.
3. 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. 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 being returned to service.
C. Grease Trap Cleaning.
1. The FOG control plan must include a requirement that the trap must be cleaned at the intervals set forth as recommended by the manufacturer, but not more than 90 days. Grease trap maintenance shall include removal of entire contents of the grease trap. The grease trap shall be filled with clean water before returning to service.
2. A business may be allowed by the director under its FOG control plan to clear its own 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 is removed from the grease trap and its baffles.
d. Oil and grease are skimmed from the surface of the water and placed in an appropriate container to limit spillage.
e. Solids are removed from the bottom of the grease trap and placed in an appropriate 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 shall be removed from the premises and disposed of or recycled in an appropriate and legal manner. Examples of disposal include, but are not limited to, contracting with a licensed cleaning company to pick up the collected waste or 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. 1095 § 1 (Exh. A), 2023; Ord. 1041 § 1, 2018).
13.09.080 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. 1095 § 1 (Exh. A), 2023; Ord. 1041 § 1, 2018).
13.09.090 Access for inspections.
The provisions of YMC 13.08.060 apply to inspections conducted under this chapter. (Ord. 1095 § 1 (Exh. A), 2023; Ord. 1041 § 1, 2018).