CHANGES IN ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS CONCERNING THE DISPOSAL OF GREASE TRAP WASTE.
by Anne Jowett
Following last months talk given by Jasna from the City of Calgary, we felt that a little more information on the
alternative options for the grease trap owner would be interesting.
At the beginning of 2002 changes in the Environmental Regulations with respect to Grease Trap Waste came
into force. The City of Calgary has given waste contractors five months to implement these changes. Therefore on the 1 st June, 2002, it will no longer be possible to take Grease Trap waste to the City landfill at Shepard. The waste must be treated in some way prior to disposal to remove any liquid content. This can be achieved by either of two methods:
There is an alternative option, which would be to treat the grease traps in situ, there by eliminating the grease waste. To achieve this one cannot simply dissolve the grease and food waste, as this will result in deposits forming remote from the tarp and plugging the lines at locations remote from the trap area. The grease must be destroyed / changed, this can be achieved by treating the grease trap with a bacterial enzyme mixture – such as LS 1471 (Chemfax Products). The product should be introduced into the grease trap on a regular basis, installation of a metering system is highly recommended,
as this ensures the “Human Factor” is eliminated and no treatment is overlooked.
Pure enzyme systems do not work, as they only act as a solvent for the grease and move the problem down the line. The mixed product is important as it contains a large variety of bacterial species which will consume the grease and food material. The bacterial colonies multiply quickly and within 20 minutes of entry to the grease trap will have begun to multiply. As water is moved out of the trap some of the colonies will be flushed into the lines, colonies attach to the walls of the lines, and will therefore help to keep the lines free from deposits as well.
Dosing rates are dependent on the flow, volume and amount of grease expected to pass through the trap. For a standard trap ( 8 x 18 x 30 inches), an 8oz dose / day would be recommended. If high grease content is expected, higher dose rates will be required. Where high flow rates are encountered, continuous treatment may be required. This can be achieved by multiple
dosing - up to 20 smaller doses / day, or by the use of a “Bio Block. This consists of bacterial enzymes in a solid form, the material dissolves slowly in the flow of liquid. The Bio Blocks are also very useful for septic holdings tanks and lift stations.
To get optimum performance from the bacterial enzyme, the temperature and pH must be carefully controlled. Temperatures above 140 F will kill the bacteria, cold or freezing conditions will only slow the system or make it dormant, warming the solution will reactivate the process. The pH should be in the range of 5.5 to 9.5, as near to 7 gives the best operation. Outside of this range operational performance will be affected. The by products of the process are water and CO 2 . It has been found with many users that they have not needed to clean the traps since commencing treatment with LS 1471. However one must ensure that rags, plastic, scrub pads etc. do not enter the trap as these will cause plugging of the unit.
For further information on the range of bacterial enzymes available from Chemfax Products Ltd., please contact your representative or call the office at (403) 287-2055.
Written and prepared by Anne Jowett, Chemfax Products Ltd.
Either of these methods will add significant cost to the disposal process.
First published May 2002
