YES! Facilities that prepare and serve food produce fats, oils, and grease need a grease removal device. Grease interceptors are the preferred grease removal device of the Columbus City Utilities for a number of reasons:
- They are larger, providing more retention time for the grease to congeal and separate from the wastewater.
- Some of these devices can accept discharge from dishwashing machines and food grinders.
- Grease interceptors are located outside and are less likely to create offensive odors inside the restaurant.
- They are cleaned by outside contractors every 30 to 90 days, eliminating the need to depend on staff to maintain the device.
Indoor grease traps can be effective in certain applications, but must be maintained frequently and can’t be connected to some commons kitchen fixtures and equipment. For example, grease traps cannot be connected to food grinders or dishwashing machines. Grease traps are appropriate for small, low volume restaurants with limited dishwashing and kitchen equipment.