This article will discuss correctional facility grease trap maintenance. The grease trap is a mandatory appliance that has to be installed in various institutions or facilities that manufacture, handle, or serve food. It is installed indoors if the facility is small and outdoors, underground if the facility is large. There are two main types of grease interceptors or grease traps used—automated and passive. Automated grease interceptors are those that use electricity in taking care of the FOG (fats, oils, grease). Passive grease interceptors depend on gravity and the distance between the drain and the grease trap. This is the type that’s used in facilities like restaurants, food processing plants, cafeterias, hospitals, resorts, hotels, and correctional facilities.
Correctional facilities have large kitchens to support large populations of staff and inmates. On a daily basis, meals are prepared and if meals are prepared constant washing of equipment, dishes, and utensils needs to be performed. Even with pump outs every 6 to 8 weeks, correctional facilities still pay hefty fines of up to 30,000 USD a year because of FOG overflows. This is a growing dilemma that needs to be attended to immediately.
When the wastewater overflows because of FOG accumulation, overall health and safety of the residents and the environment are affected. This happens when there’s too much FOG that goes into the sewers and builds up until it fills the passageway of wastewater. Having nowhere else to go, the wastewater backs up into the facilities and onto the surface, pouring out into the surrounding water systems such as lakes, ponds, streams, and rivers. Various ailments may spread out because of the pathogens and chemicals that the wastewater carries. Aquatic life dies off and this results to the imbalance in the ecosystems.
Correctional facility grease trap maintenance needs to be done properly. Grease traps should be pumped out on schedule and completely cleaned out. The frequency of the pumping out depends on the size of the grease trap and how it’s used. The grease trap has to be shoveled, vacuumed, and scraped so that all the FOG, liquid wastes, and solid wastes will be completely removed. The recurring problem of correctional facilities concerning their grease traps is the FOG overflow even if they really adhere to the pump outs every 6 to 8 weeks. This only shows that there needs to be a clear cut modification of their methods in correctional facility grease trap maintenance.
It was already proposed that the correctional facilities should have a filter for the grey water before it even enters the grease trap. The filter will prevent large pieces of grease and solid food so that minimal FOG will enter the grease trap. Another suggestion is to completely scrape off the solid food particles and grease off the dishes, equipment, and utensils before they even get to the washer. This will even more reduce the amount of FOG that enters the grease trap. With this, there will be a lesser probability that there will be FOG or wastewater overflows again.
One highly recommended method of correctional facility grease trap maintenance is by using the process of bioremediation. This process uses friendly or non-pathogenic bacteria to digest or degrade the solid wastes and the FOG that enter the grease interceptor. The bacteria used here can be in the form of powder, liquid, pumps, and blocks. Powdered bacteria is more convenient because they can be easily shipped and stored. Liquid bacteria are just poured into drains to immediately target the grease trap. Bacteria pumps are used when proper dosage is given with time intervals. Bacteria blocks are tied and suspended in the grease trap.
Bioremediation is the best method that’s used for correctional facility grease trap maintenance. The bacteria eliminate the sewage odors and do not pollute the environment. They merely help the existing bacteria in the grease trap to be more efficient in what they do. Using bioremediation rids the correctional facility administration of lawsuits, severe damages to the environment, health conditions, and large fines.