Eliminate Grease in
Food Preparation Facilities
All restaurants,
caterers, school cafeterias and other commercial cooking facilities
must avoid causing grease blockages in the municipal sewer system.
In commercial
food preparation and meat retailing tenancies, install:
- grease interceptors
- sink strainers
on drains
- wash down
areas for kitchen mats
Grease interceptors
must drain to the sanitary sewer system, and receive wastewater
from all contributory sources, such as pot sinks, dishwashers, floor
drains and mat washing area drains. If these are not installed in
the base building, rough-in plumbing for their future installation
should be provided. As well, garbage disposal units installed in
sink drains are prohibited for these tenancies.
All new or rebuilt
facilities are required to install a grease interceptor to pretreat
sewered grease. All units regardless of size shall be fitted with
a standard final-stage sample box. Interceptors must be sized for
at least a 30 minute peak wastewater flow detention time from all
contributory sources. Variance from the above requirements will
be permitted only for good cause. In cases where variance is granted,
a grease trap will be required in place of an interceptor. Traps
shall have a rated flow capacity sufficient for the same 30-minute
flow outlined above. Contributing sources shall be the same with
possible exceptions made for dishwasher flows.
All new, and
rebuilt, as well as existing kitchen facilities, must dedicate a
specific area for the washing of floor mats and related equipment,
bermed to ensure wastewater is not discharged to the storm drain
system but to a grease interceptor discharging to the sanitary sewer.
Outdoor wash-down area drains must be protected from rain water
intrusion.
Cautions
- All grease
interceptors must be installed by a state-certified plumber under
permit and inspection of the Building and Safety Department, at
(310) 458-8355. Site plans must have the prior approval of the
Industrial Waste Section, at (310) 458-8235.
- All garbage
disposal units must be eliminated.
- For grease
interceptors and traps to function properly they must be serviced
and maintained by a qualified contractor. For a list of qualified
contractors, contact Industrial Waste Section.
