Hiring a Professional Grease Interceptor Cleaning Service for Your Restaurant

Even though most customers are likely unaware while frequenting their favorite eating establishment, all restaurants must consider how to maintain their grease trap, or grease interceptor. Cleaning these devices can be challenging, but special tanks or vats can be used in order to keep used cooking waste out of the septic tank. This waste and run-off can cause the sewage system to become overwhelmed and hazardous, and untreated waste can leak into the environment.

It is generally advisable that grease interceptor cleaning should be left to the professionals. When searching for a professional, first make sure they follow the Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG) regulations set by state and local officials to ensure that the clean water in the respective areas is not damaged or infiltrated. These regulations are also in place because at any restaurant, these interceptors must only serve the purpose of containing grease and should not receive waste from any other source, such as a sink or toilet. Inquiring about FOG regulations should be your first step when hiring a business for these services. If they do not follow FOG regulations and the service is botched in any way, you could ultimately be held accountable on the local and state level by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other agencies. Any violations could result in major fines, or even the suspension of your business license.

A second consideration when hiring a professional for grease interceptor cleaning, is to inquire whether they use the old cooking grease as a recycled material. Many times, business owners think the used cooking waste is pulled from its holding container and then properly disposed of, and in some cases it is. However, some of this waste has the potential to be used for the manufacturing of biodiesel. By using biodiesel for fuel, fossil fuels and natural oils and gases can be preserved. In addition, trucking companies can cut the costs of their transportation services, resulting in lower costs on the retailer's end as well. The recycling of used cooking waste may have a bigger impact on your region than you ever expected, so be sure to check with your grease interceptor cleaning professional to see if they offer this service.

Finally, when searching for a professional cleaning service, you should check their level of experience, as well as their customer testimonials. You will also want to find a company that is willing to help find and solve any problem you have with your receptors over time, and someone who is willing to charge you by the gallon, not a large, flat fee for the entire job. Make sure you know exactly what you will be paying for when you hire a grease receptor cleaning company.