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Gas Station

Gas Station Grease Trap Cleaning in Louisville KY

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If you own or manage a gas station in or around Louisville, KY, then you understand the responsibilities that come with running a successful operation. From maintaining fuel pumps to ensuring customer and employee safety, your to-do list can seem never-ending. In the thick of it all, gas station grease trap cleaning is one crucial aspect that managers can overlook easily. At Moon Grease Trap Cleaning, we want your business to be the best it can be. That’s why we provide regular grease trap maintenance in and around Louisville, KY. And, the best part about our grease trap cleaning services is that we provide routine cleanings on a regular schedule based on your needs. There’s no reason to worry about it when you can set it, forget it, and let Moon take care of the rest!

Do Gas Stations Need a Grease Trap?

A grease trap is an essential part of the waste management system for any establishment that produces brown grease. This can be restaurants or schools, but it also applies to convenience stores and food marts connected to gas stations. These traps prevent fats, oils, and grease (FOG) from entering the sewage system. When FOG enters the sewer, it can cause severe blockages and lead to expensive sewer backups and environmental hazards.

Why Gas Station Grease Cleaning is Important

Regularly cleaning and maintaining your gas station grease trap is an important part of owning your business for reasons such as:

  1. Compliance with Local, State, and Federal Regulations

In Louisville, local health and environmental regulations mandate that food service establishments clean their grease traps regularly. If you do not keep an official record of cleanings, it can lead to hefty fines and even the potential closure of your business. By working with a professional service like Moon Grease Trap Cleaning, you ensure that you remain compliant with all local laws and regulations, which state:

  1. Grease traps shall be cleaned of complete fats, oils, and grease and food solids by an approved MSD Certified Grease Waste Hauler monthly (minimum) OR
  2. If the FOG and food solids content of the grease trap is greater than 25% of the water depth capacity of the grease trap.
    1. If this the case, then the grease trap needs to be cleaned weekly or as frequently as needed to prevent surpassing 25%.

Grease interceptors also must be serviced by a certified hauler. Their grease trap cleanings must not exceed 90 days or solid levels over 25% of the interceptor capacity.

  1. Preventing Expensive Repairs

Ignoring grease trap maintenance can result in significant long-term costs. When grease accumulates, it can lead to plumbing issues, sewer backups, and expensive repairs to your gas station. Regular cleaning helps you avoid these issues and saves you money in the long run.

  1. Protecting the Environment

When grease traps are not maintained, FOG can end up in local waterways. Since it does not mix with water, FOG buildup contributes to pollution and can harm or kill plants, animals that consume it, and aquatic life. By ensuring your grease trap is regularly cleaned and doesn’t overflow, you are making a commitment to to the environment as well.

  1. Boosting Your Operations

A well-maintained grease trap allows your gas station to operate more efficiently. The last thing anyone wants is an overflowing grease trap surprise that requires emergency servicing. When grease accumulates, it can also hinder the performance of your plumbing system. By investing in regular grease trap cleaning, you ensure that everything functions smoothly.

  1. Improving Customer Experience

Customer experience, as well as employee satisfaction, are very important in the competitive industry of gas stations. When you can have 2-3 gas stations all within a block of each other or at the same rest-stop, customers will want to go the one that is cleanest. Dirty and full grease traps produce bad smells as the grease and oil goes rancid, and the presence of food particles attracts pests like rats and cockroaches. Regular grease trap cleaning helps you maintain a clean environment that sets you apart from your competition.

The Process of Grease Trap Cleaning

At Moon Grease Trap Cleaning, we utilize a comprehensive approach to ensure your grease traps are thoroughly cleaned and maintained:

  1. Inspection: Our team begins by inspecting your grease trap to assess its condition and determine the level of cleaning required.
  2. Pumping: We then pump out the accumulated grease and solids from the trap. This process helps prevent any overflow that could lead to serious plumbing issues.
  3. Cleaning: Once the trap is empty, we thoroughly clean the interior surfaces to remove any residual grease and buildup.
  4. Disposal: We ensure that all waste is disposed of according to local regulations, maintaining compliance and environmental safety.
  5. Maintenance Recommendations: After cleaning, we provide recommendations on how often you should schedule future cleanings based on your specific usage patterns.

Choosing the MSD-Certified Grease Hauler

When it comes to gas station grease cleaning, choosing a reputable provider is essential. Moreover, the City of Louisville requires it. At Moon Grease Trap Cleaning, we pride ourselves on our experience, professionalism, and commitment to customer satisfaction. Our team is MSD certified and well-versed in the the local regulations to address the specific needs of gas stations in Louisville.

Moon Gas Station Grease Trap Cleaning Services in Louisville, KY

Regular grease trap cleaning is not just an obligation; it’s a critical component of maintaining your gas station’s operations. From protecting the environment to enhancing customer satisfaction, the benefits extend past the legal requirements. By partnering with Moon Grease Trap Cleaning, you can focus on what you do best—serving your customers and running your business—while we take care of the grease traps. Don’t wait for a problem to arise; schedule your grease trap cleaning today by contacting Moon Grease Trap Cleaning at 502-776-2199!

Moon Companies

Moon Grease Trap Cleaning is a part of Moon Companies. We offer a wide variety of trade services for the citizens and businesses of Louisville, KY, Southern Indiana, and the surrounding areas.
  1. Shipping Container Rentals: For those looking to buy or rent new or used shipping containers, Moon Trailer Leasing has a large selection of one-trip Conex boxes, as well as pre-fabricated portable offices.
  2. Portapotty Rentals: Rent out restrooms, luxury bathroom trailers, commercial shower trailers, and handwashing stations from Moon Portable Restrooms for your next construction site or outdoor event.
  3. Dumpster Rentals: Moon Mini Dumpsters delivers roll-off dumpsters directly to your home or business and then hauls away your trash for you.
  4. Refrigerated Container Rentals: For refrigerated containers rentals in Louisville, KY, contact Moon Refrigeration about our ready-to-go reefer containers.
  5. Portable Storage Units: Go Minis KY is a premier storage choice that offers an onsite storage, location-to-location moving services, and secure warehouse storage
  6. Grease Trap and Interceptor Cleaning: Keep your restaurant up to regulation and schedule your restaurant’s grease trap cleanings with Moon Grease Trap Cleaning.
Call us today at 502-776-2199 to learn more or schedule your service!
FOG Guidelines in Lexington KY

FOG Guidelines in Lexington, KY

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The water and sewer systems of cities are indispensable to the everyday life of residents, businesses, and tourists alike. That’s why governing bodies require everyone to do their part in keeping the systems as clean and functioning as possible. One of the biggest threats to city water systems is FOG, or fats, oils, and grease. Because commercial kitchens and restaurants are one of the largest generators of FOG, they have a set of guidelines that they must follow. In Lexington, KY, there are a few requirements that restaurants and others in the food service industry must meet, as well as a list of Best Management Practices to implement in their establishment. The FOG guidelines in Lexington, KY include:

1. Proper Installment of a Grease Trap or Grease Interceptor Approved by the LFUCG Division of Water Quality.

Before installing grease traps or grease interceptors, Lexington food service establishments (FSEs) must have approval from the LFUCG Division of Water Quality (Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government). This ensures that your grease collection equipment is the correct size and up to construction and plumbing codes. In order to achieve this, Lexington FSEs must submit a permit application that outlines:

  • Proposed interceptor location
  • Proposed size of grease interceptor
  • Detailed drawing of interceptor and piping
  • Number and type of fixtures proposed to be attached

The LFUCG grease interceptor requirements also include construction guidelines, which are that grease interceptors need to be:

  • Substantially constructed of impervious materials capable of withstanding abrupt and extreme changes in temperatures
  • Be watertight
  • Be equipped with easily removable covers
  • Contain a baffle system to adequately divert and slow the flow to avoid short-circuiting
  • Be traffic rated, if located in roadways or parking lots.

2. Consistent Maintenance Performed by a Certified Grease or Septic Haulers

FOG guidelines in Lexington, KY state that external grease interceptors needs to be cleaned no less than once every six months. However, cleanings maybe need to be more frequent if the nature of the FSE produces more or less waste. The Best Management Practices has a few tips for decreasing FOG output. Smaller indoor, under-sink grease traps need more frequent cleaning. This can be anywhere from weekly to even daily cleaning, depending on how much FOG is produced in a day. FOG output depends on a lot of factors, like:

  • Type of food,
  • Cooking methods
  • Cleaning techniques
  • Carry-out verses dine-in

In addition to the frequency of cleanings, Lexington, KY also requires city-issued grease interceptor pumping and hauling permits from companies. This lets FSE owners know if a company can haul and dispose of your FOG safely. Moon Grease Trap Cleaning has you covered there as a certified grease trap pumper in Lexington, KY!

3. Certified Record Keeping of Grease Trap Maintenance and Cleaning

According to the FOG guidelines in Lexington, KY, maintenance and cleaning events must be recorded in written form and kept on file on site. Receipts or manifests from private pumping septic and grease haulers should indicate destination of hauled waste, i.e. Town Branch WWTP, Lexington KY. The records shall be made available to LFUCG Division of Water Quality inspectors upon request. Maintenance records shall contain the following information:

  • Date of Maintenance
  • Person performing maintenance
  • Estimated volume of grease removed
  • Disposal location, Example: Grease recycle bin, Town Branch WWTP, etc.
  • Manager’s signature or initials for verification
  • A copy of the FOG Permit issued by the Division of Water Quality shall be kept on file at the facility the permit has been issued to.

4. Implementation of Best Management Practices

To help minimize the amount of FOG going into your grease interceptor equipment and the city’s sewer system, Lexington, KY has a set of Best Management Practices for FSEs to follow.

  1. Train kitchen staff to make them aware of what issues can result from FOG in the sewer system. Let them know about the potential violations and fines, as well as methods to mitigate grease entering the pipes.
  2. Post “no grease” signs around your kitchens, especially in hotspot areas such as sinks and dishwashers.
  3. Dry wipe or scrape pots, pans and dishware prior to dishwashing to dispose of FOG in the garbage instead of the drains. Fats, oils, and grease will cause significantly less environmental issues in the garbage as opposed to the waterways.
  4. Do not dispose of waste food through a garbage disposal since the food scraps will take up space in the grease trap or interceptor. By disposing of food waste in the trash or compost, you leave that space in the grease collection equipment for stray FOG.
  5. Clean grease interceptor routinely and keep records to recognize patterns, comply with health codes, and ensure optimal grease trap performance.
  6. Witness cleaning and maintenance events to guarantee that they are done correctly and learn the process if you do not know it.
  7. Inspect the grease interceptor during maintenance to ensure there are no leaks and that the different part are secure.

Let Moon Grease Trap Cleaning Take Care of Your Restaurant’s FOG Guidelines in Lexington, KY!

Moon makes sure that we always have the proper certifications and permits to serve the food service establishments of Lexington, KY. Our grease trap cleaning service is available to any business that generates brown grease and/or other food process waste as part of their operation, such as:

  • Restaurants, cafes, and bakeries
  • Food marts and grocery stores
  • Hotels
  • Pubs and bars
  • Stadiums
  • Schools and colleges
  • Cafeterias
  • Daycare facilities
  • Hospitals
  • Food service establishments
  • Commercial cafeterias
  • Food processors
Moon Companies

Moon Grease Trap Cleaning is a part of Moon Companies. We offer a wide variety of trade services for the citizens and businesses of Louisville, KY, Lexington, KY, Southern Indiana, and the surrounding areas.
  1. Shipping Container Rentals: For those looking to buy or rent new or used shipping containers, Moon Trailer Leasing has a large selection of one-trip Conex boxes, as well as pre-fabricated portable offices.
  2. Portapotty Rentals: Rent out restrooms, luxury bathroom trailers, commercial shower trailers, and handwashing stations from Moon Portable Restrooms for your next construction site or outdoor event.
  3. Dumpster Rentals: Moon Mini Dumpsters delivers roll-off dumpsters directly to your home or business and then hauls away your trash for you.
  4. Refrigerated Container Rentals: For refrigerated containers rentals in Louisville, KY, contact Moon Refrigeration about our ready-to-go reefer containers.
  5. Portable Storage Units: Go Minis KY is a premier storage choice that offers an onsite storage, location-to-location moving services, and secure warehouse storage
  6. Grease Trap and Interceptor Cleaning: Keep your restaurant up to regulation and schedule your restaurant’s grease trap cleanings with Moon Grease Trap Cleaning.
Call us today at 502-776-2199 to learn more or schedule your service!
Grease Trap Cleaning in Lexington, KY

Grease Trap Cleaning in Lexington, KY

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As the Horse Capital of the World and the 2nd largest city in Kentucky, Lexington has plenty of good restaurants, fun attractions, sports teams, and a lively nightlife for residents to enjoy. According to federal, state, and city laws, any commercial food establishment or entertainment venue that has a kitchen must have one or many grease traps or grease interceptors. This ensures that there is less strain on the sewer and water systems of the city. And, where there are grease traps, businesses need a waste hauler that holds a city permit to clean them. Moon Grease Trap Cleaning in Lexington, KY is a licensed grease hauler that has been serving the area for over 20 years. Let us haul your used cooking oil and grease trap waste in Lexington away!

Grease Trap Cleaning for Restaurants in Lexington, KY

The restaurants of Lexington offer a variety of cuisines, each one catering to a different demographic. Each one make the city special! With as many customers come through the doors of a Lexington restaurant, grocery store, or convenience store, fast, efficient grease trap cleaning is essential to business. Moon Grease Trap Cleaning serves any commercial kitchen with a grease trap or grease interceptor, which includes bars, food marts, food trucks, catering companies. Our services cover both chain restaurants and some of Lexington’s most famous food establishments, like:

  • Jeff Ruby’s of Lexington
  • Carson’s Restaurant
  • Tony’s of Lexington Steak House
  • Malone’s
  • Hamburg Pavilion Food Court Restaurants
  • Azur Restaurant and Patio
  • Red State Barbecue
  • Malibu Jack’s in Lexington KY
  • The Burl
  • Sawyer’s Downtown
  • Restaurants and Bars at The Grove Lexington KY

We have a non-intrusive grease trap cleaning method that is perfect for restaurants that need an in-and-out service. We understand that the residents of Lexington, KY count on the restaurants and bars to be functioning when they want to eat. Let Moon keep you clean, up to code, and open to the public!

Grease Trap Cleaning for Event Venues in Lexington, KY

As the Horse Capital of World, Lexington is home to several beautiful farms, wedding venues, hotels, and other event venues. Each one gives Lexington a part of its identity, from college town to racehorse central to good old southern comfort. Racetracks and auction houses likes the Kentucky Horse Park, The Red Mile, and most famously, Keeneland are perfect for taking care of their guests during horse competition season. The dining rooms and concession stands are each connected to kitchen and, therefore, the sewer system. In order to keep the city clean and function, venues should schedule their grease trap cleanings accordingly during busy seasons. Lexington, KY fats, oils, and grease (FOG) requirements say that grease traps and interceptors should be cleaned:

  1. No less than once every 3-6 months, or
  2. When the waste levels reach 20% of the space available.

This is the same for restaurants and concession stands inside other sports stadiums, event venues, and hotels like 21c Lexington and The Kentucky Castle. In Lexington, the University of Kentucky Wildcats frequently play at Kroger Field and inside the Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Both venues serve hot food and have kitchens that need to be regularly cleaned. This is especially important during the football and basketball seasons. With so much cooking going on in a short amount of time, you don’t want your grease traps to overflow as you prep, cook, and clean in your kitchens!

Grease Trap Cleaning for Schools and Cafeterias in Lexington, KY

Well known for the University of Kentucky (UK), Lexington has lots of schools that are attended by students from out of state and locals. Many of them have cafeterias and on-campus restaurants and convenience stores for students to use between classes. Moon Grease Trap Cleaning services school cafeterias grease traps! We travel to areas and institutions in and around Lexington. This includes colleges and universities like Transylvania University, Midway University, Kentucky State University, Centre College, Berea College, and Asbury University.

However, it is not only universities that Moon can help keep up to federal, state, and city law. The Fayette Country Public School system as well as private preschools and K-12 schools are also within our clientele. We cover Lexington’s:

  • 37 public and 11 private elementary schools
  • 12 public and 12 private middle schools
  • 6 public and 8 private high schools
  • 11 public school programs
  • 3 public technical centers
  • 1 public preschool

Contact Moon Grease Trap Cleaning Today to Schedule a Service

Lexington is a great city to work, live, play, and study in. We can help keep it that way and make it easy for companies to comply with health codes while running their business. Moon Grease Trap Cleaning offers single grease trap services, but we also allow our clients to make an ongoing grease trap cleaning schedule so that they can set it and forget it, unless they need us earlier than anticipated. We serve:

  • Restaurants, cafes, and bakeries
  • Hotels
  • Pubs and bars
  • Stadiums
  • Schools and colleges
  • Daycare facilities
  • Hospitals
  • Food service establishments
  • Commercial cafeterias
  • Food processors
  • And more!

Our grease trap cleaning equipment does not require dragging big, dirty hoses through your business to your indoor grease trap. Instead, our top-of-the-line Pro-Vac machines help to make the grease trap cleaning process as simple as possible. They are easy to maneuver through crowded spaces and cafeterias on higher floors, and they operate quickly and quietly with minimal disruption. Moon is a member of the Kentucky Restaurant Association (KYA) and is certified to haul grease trap waste in Lexington, KY. Our friendly, experienced team will provide full-service grease trap cleaning and grease interceptor cleaning to clients throughout Kentucky and the Midwest. With over 20 years of experience serving the food industry, we know our stuff! Call us today at (502) 776-2199 or fill out a contact form with any questions or comments you might have. We hope to hear from you soon!

Moon Companies

Moon Grease Trap Cleaning is a part of Moon Companies. We offer a wide variety of trade services for the citizens and businesses of Louisville, KY, Lexington, KY, Southern Indiana, and the surrounding areas:
  1. Shipping Container Rentals: For those looking to buy or rent new or used shipping containers, Moon Trailer Leasing has a large selection of one-trip Conex boxes, as well as pre-fabricated portable offices. 
  2. Portapotty Rentals: Rent out restrooms, luxury bathroom trailers, commercial shower trailers, and handwashing stations from Moon Portable Restrooms for your next construction site or outdoor event.
  3. Dumpster Rentals: Moon Mini Dumpsters delivers roll-off dumpsters directly to your home or business and then hauls away your trash for you.
  4. Refrigerated Container Rentals: For refrigerated containers rentals in Louisville, KY, contact Moon Refrigeration about our ready-to-go reefer containers.
  5. Portable Storage Units: Go Minis KY is a premier storage choice that offers an onsite storage, location-to-location moving services, and secure warehouse storage
  6. Grease Trap and Interceptor Cleaning: Keep your restaurant up to regulation and schedule your restaurant’s grease trap cleanings with Moon Grease Trap Cleaning.
Call us today at 502-776-2199 to learn more or schedule your service!
Why You Shouldn't Clean Your Own Grease Traps and the Benefits of Hiring Professional Grease Trap Cleaners

What’s Wrong With DIY Grease Trap Cleaning?

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DIY grease trap cleaning can be a temptation for many, whether you’ve looked at the price vs the self-labor and decided you wanted to cut out the middle man and learn, or you’ve been in the business long enough to think that it would be an easy enough task. And while some have success with DIY cleaning, the costs, risks, and losses don’t usually justify the DIY method when professional grease trap cleaners exist for your comfort, efficiency, and safety.

The Grease Just Keeps Coming Back

Since grease trap require regular, consistent cleaning to keep within regulatory compliance, the job is unfortunately not a one-and-done type. For the convenience and efficiency that come with regular, auto-scheduled grease trap cleaning services, it is well worth the responsibility to be taken out of your hands and into those of professionals so that you can spend your time doing all the jobs specific to your individual business that can’t be done by outside services, like grease trap cleaning can.

In addition to the economics of saved time, the grease has to go somewhere – and not just any old place, but the correct waste disposal plants. Do you have the time to do the proper research on correct disposal? Do you have the means to transport the waste?

If you’ve answered yes to all these considerations and if the time is available, then what’s the harm in DIYing it?

Serious Consequences for Small Mistakes

Well, the harm manifests in different ways that have effects ranging from venue-specific to city-wide. If cleaned incorrectly, grease traps have the high potential to smoke out your customers and your employees with rancid odors, putrid grease runoff, and contaminated plumbing that can run all the way to the city’s sewer system to collect and back-up – which, if traced back to your establishment, can incur some serious fines and consequences for damages and lack of regulation standards.

Not only does it have likely consequences for you personally, but you also run the risk of damaging the environment. Grease runoff into grass, soil, or waterways is non-soluble pollution that can throw ecosystems off and invite pests to breed in conditions that you unintentionally created.

Acquiring Long-Term Costs

After taking a look at professional cleaning processes, it might be a good time to look at the tools and materials you’d need to match the quality of a professional clean; with the high-end instruments they use because it’s their specialty, the question, then, becomes one of:

“Are you willing to sacrifice quality for small cost-cuts?”

If the answer is still yes, there are factors to consider about long-term costs that may arise with DIY cleaning, such as:

  • Money from Time-Loss
  • Proper Equipment Costs
  • Responsibility for Fines Incurred by Improper Cleaning
  • Transportation of Waste to the Proper Facilities
  • Equipment and Plumbing Damage
  • Spill Clean-Up
  • Safety Measures

All of these facets are included in professional grease trap cleaning, and with Moon Grease Trap Cleaning being locally owned and operated, you’d be contributing to small businesses of Louisville, as well, by allowing them to do their jobs so that your business can thrive.

The Unpleasant Reality

When it all comes down to it, grease trap cleaning is just not a pleasant job to do without the correct tools. It’s smelly, dirty, tedious, and the risk of toxic fumes and grease spills are not fun to have to consider.

Whether it’s you or your employees, DIY grease trap cleaning will always leave the job to someone who may not have known the undesirable task was included in their job description, and that’s not a surprise anyone wants to find sitting at the top of their to-do list, especially not when the process usually happens either before customers begin arriving or after everyone else has left for the day.

Professional grease trap cleaners?

Fortunately for any restaurant owner out there, regular grease trap cleaning is in our job description – anytime, anywhere, anyone. Moon Grease Trap Cleaning offers you a service that is fast, reliable, efficient, and convenient so that the dirty work is out of your hands and into those of our experts.

Ready to get started? Visit our website for a free estimate, or give us a call at 502-776-2199. We look forward to working with you! 

How to and where to recycle old grease in your restaurant

Recycling Old Grease

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If you own a restaurant, you’re probably familiar with the large amount of grease associated with cooking at scale. But did you know that old grease found in your grease traps can be recycled? Here’s what you need to know.

How Grease Traps Capture Waste

To start out, it’s helpful to consider how grease traps capture waste in the first place. Grease traps are small metal boxes located inside of food-producing businesses. They help remove greases and solids from wastewater before it enters the sewersystem. Fats, oils, and grease (FOG) that are commonly disposed of in food-producing businesses can build up in wastewater treatment facilities and septic tanks. When unaddressed, this can overwhelm infrastructure and lead to the release of untreated sewage. These oils can also cool and solidify, combining with other solids in the waste system to block pipes. Grease traps help prevent all of this from happening.

Liquids from sinks flow into the traps, and solids that are more dense than water drop to the bottom while greases float to the top. The remaining water, which is mostly grease free, is then put into the sewer system. Businesses service grease traps on a monthly basis. Health code regulations specify cleaning schedules and procedures.

The Recycling Process

So where does recycling come in? When a business like Moon comes to your establishment to clean your grease trap, we end up taking away lots of used FOGs so you can have a clean grease trap. We can thoroughly pump out, clean and dispose of all grease, wastewater, and solid material from your grease trap system by suctioning it out with a hose system. Also, we suction into a holding tank on a truck.

We then take the grease, in a liquid form at this point, to a treatment facility. This facility sorts out the FOGs from the water even further. They put brown grease so it is ready for recycling. Some recycling methods re-purpose the grease to be used as a fertilizer in farm fields. Other times, the FOGs can be purified to the point that they are made into usable fuel. In all cases, your wastewater is transformed into something useful.

How Moon Can Help

Professionals like Moon can thoroughly clean and monitor your grease trap system. Plus, we can help keep track of your maintenance schedule and adherence to regulations.

This has several benefits. For one, properly functioning systems prevent a negative environmental impact from sewage overflow. Plus, it saves time and money by preventing a backed up system that can shut down business. We can also make recommendations about cleaning commercial kitchens to mitigate the impact of FOGs on your grease trap or interceptor system and the environment.

Schedule your next grease service by contacting Moon Grease Trap Cleaning at 502-776-2199. We are happy to answer any and all questions you may have.

The history of grease traps and how they came to be

History of the Grease Trap

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Grease traps play a key role in properly capturing and disposing of grease in food-related establishments today. Both grease traps and grease interceptors are a standard and required feature in many businesses. How did this come to be such a staple of modern life? Today on the blog, we’re taking a look at the history of the grease trap. 

History of the Grease Trap: 19th Century

As long as there have been sewage systems, there has been a need to deal with the fats, oils, and greases (FOG)  humans have put into them. FOG can be a major issue on sewage systems, causing backups that severely damage a community’s ability to properly manage waste and wastewater. The first official patent for a grease trap system was filed in the late 19th century by Nathaniel Whiting, an American inventor. This first design has the same core elements we see in modern day grease traps. An interceptor box is connected to the source of FOG (a kitchen sink, for example) and removes unwanted material before wastewater is put into the sewage system. The box holds the FOG for later removal. 

History of the Grease Trap: 20th Century and Today

While that core design is still at the root of grease traps today, there are several improvements that have been made over time. For example, in the 1930’s a gravity grease trap was developed, which used more water than previously to slow the flow through the grease trap. This allowed for a greater removal of FOG from kitchen wastewater. 

Since then, some other common types of grease trap have emerged. The modern hydro-mechanical grease trap is one such innovation. It utilizes heat, water, and gravity within a steel or carbon trap to more efficiently remove and store FOG. Another modern innovation is the automatic grease trap. This leverages electrical and mechanical features to remove a high percentage of FOG.  

Scheduling Grease Trap Servicing

If you own an establishment with a grease trap or interceptor, quality servicing is important for your business. Professionals like Moon Grease Trap Cleaning can thoroughly pump out, clean and dispose of all grease, wastewater, and solid material from your grease trap system. It’s important to regularly schedule cleaning. Properly functioning systems prevent a negative environmental impact from sewage overflow or blockage. Plus, it can save time and money by preventing a backed up system that can shut down business.

Moon can help keep track of your maintenance schedule and adherence to regulations. This is important- for any business that prepares food, it is mandatory by law to have a grease trap installed and cleaned regularly. As a Kentucky Restaurant Association Member, Moon stays up to date with regulations and follows best practices.

No service request is too big or too small for Moon Grease Trap Cleaning. We provide quality service in a prompt manner. Schedule your next grease service by contacting Moon at 502-776-2199. Or, visit our website for a quote! We are happy to answer any and all questions you may have. 

 

How grease traps can contribute to restaurant pests

Kitchen Pests: Maintaining Your Grease Traps

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Grease traps are a crucial element of any commercial kitchen or business that serves food. Unfortunately, improperly maintained grease traps can attract all sorts of nasty pests if you aren’t careful. Not to fear! Here are our top tips for avoiding pests in your commercial kitchen.

FOG Build-up Attracts Kitchen Pests

First, you should know why this is so important. When you do not properly keep a grease trap maintained, FOGs can build up and lead to several issues like clogged pipes, damage, and inefficient draining (learn more about FOGs from our previous blog on the topic). Additionally, it can attract pests to your establishment. Pests love to feed off of organic matter like FOG. This can be both unsightly and unsanitary- bugs and mice can carry disease around the food you serve customers. Plus, FOG build-up tends to produce a distinctly stinky smell. This is pretty noticeable too, and is a huge issue both for pest control and customer satisfaction.

Look Out for Drain Flies

One common pest you may find in your kitchen is the drain fly. These tiny flies often congregate around drains or other areas that harbor food waste or grease. They like standing water and leftover organic matter- they lay eggs in these areas, and their larvae feed upon the organic matter. Even if a drain appears clean from the outside, the pipes below may be caked with a layer of grease. To prevent this from happening and attracting drain flies, always be careful about what goes down drains. Do not put solids down your drains. Also, you should make sure your grease traps are maintained properly to help reduce the amount of FOGS that make it into your pipes. You can also pour hot water down drains on a weekly basis to help break down any buildup.

Clean Grease Traps Are The Answer

A clean grease trap means fewer pests, less risk of disease spread, more passed inspections, and better business. Professionals like Moon Grease Trap Cleaning can get you on a schedule for grease trap cleaning. You’ll meet all necessary regulations and you’ll have access to an expert who can help get to the root cause of any pest issues. Our technicians remove all FOGs from your traps and interceptors, clean your systems, and properly dispose of FOGs. You’ll also be less likely to have untimely and expensive system failures like sewer backups. Plus, we service grease traps and interceptors of all capacities. So, your business will benefit from our work whether you have a small establishment or an enormous one.

All of this means your business will be able to run smoothly, avoid costly problems, and focus more on what matters: the food and service you provide to your customers.

Are you ready for pest problems to be a thing of the past? Look no further! Moon is the one-stop shop for your grease trap needs. Schedule your next grease service by contacting Moon Grease Trap Cleaning at 502-776-2199. We are happy to answer any and all questions you may have!

Fats oils grease FOG restrictions violations and regulations

10 FOG Guidelines in Louisville, Kentucky

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Fats, oil, and grease (FOG) can clog up the sewer system like nothing else. As FOG escapes from kitchens and into the sewer lines and pump stations, grease coats pipes and systems. These blockages eventually can cause sewer overflows into homes and businesses, degrade the quality of water sources, and corrode pipes.  That’s why cities implement best practices for grease traps and FOG rules. In Louisville, Kentucky, there are several Fats, Oils & Grease (FOG) Management Guidelines that all commercial kitchens must follow.

FOG Guidelines in Louisville

The Louisville/Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) is a regional non-profit agency that monitors and maintains the wastewater treatment system in the metropolitan area. MSD has a significant amount of guidance and sets of rules related to FOG disposal. Food service establishments (FSEs) need to be in compliance with the FOG management guidelines MSD sets. These guidelines, which outline 17 points (excluding subpoints) can be found in a PDF available on the MSD website. However, for ease of access, we will be outlining 10 of the most important points here.

1. FSEs must use certified plumbers/haulers to manage FOG.

Grease traps and interceptors require specific cleaning. MSD requires FSEs to have certified plumbers/haulers perform cleaning and removal procedures. Moon Grease Trap Cleaning is one of the certified haulers for Louisville, KY and Lexington, KY. Certified plumbers/haulers go through MSD-led training to stay up to date with procedures. This is a safeguard and a seal of approval from the government that says we know how to correctly pump grease traps and interceptors, as well as how to safely dispose of the waste. These professionals are the people you should work closely with for your regular trap and interceptor maintenance and certification. MSD requires documentation of all cleanings and inspections too. Working with these professionals ensures that you will be up to code and have all of the paperwork you need in an organized fashion.

2. Grease Trap Cleaning and Maintenance Requirements

The frequency of grease trap cleanings in Louisville, KY should be consistent with the following requirements:

  1. Grease traps shall be cleaned of complete fats, oils, and grease and food solids by an approved MSD Certified Grease Waste Hauler monthly (minimum) OR
  2. If the FOG and food solids content of the grease trap is greater than 25% of the water depth capacity of the grease trap.
    1. If this the case, then the grease trap needs to be cleaned weekly or as frequently as needed to prevent surpassing 25%.

3.  Grease Interceptor Cleaning and Maintenance Requirements

The frequency of grease interceptor cleanings in Louisville, KY should be consistent with the following requirements:

  1. Grease interceptors must be pumped-in-full by an approved MSD Certified Grease Waste Hauler when the total accumulations of surface FOG (including floating solids) and settled solids reaches twenty-five percent (25%) of the grease interceptor’s overall liquid depth.
    1. This is known as the 25% rule.
  2. At no time, shall the cleaning frequency of the grease interceptor exceed 90 days, unless approved by MSD.
  3. Some existing FSEs in Class 2 through 5 will need to consider a 30 day pumping frequency or a 60 day pumping frequency to meet the 25 Percent Rule requirement.
  4. Partial pump of interceptor contents or on-site pump & treatment of GI contents will not be allowed due to reintroduction of fats, oils and grease to the interceptor and pursuant.

4. Food establishments are classified by size and need to satisfy the grease trap size requirements of their class.

Depending on the type of establishment you run, MSD assigned a different FSE class. There are 5 classes with different minimum acceptable sizes of GCE:

  1. Class 1: 25 gallons per minute/50 pound grease trap if an exemption has not been granted by MSD.
    1. Delis
    2. Daycare Facilities
    3. Frozen Yogurt Ships
    4. Ice Cream Shops
    5. Beverage Bars
    6. Coffee Shops
    7. Mobile Food Vendors
  2. Class 2: 1,000 gallon grease trap or equivalent device which has been approved by the Kentucky Division of Plumbing and MSD.
    1. Limited-Service Restaurants
    2. Fast Food Facilities
    3. Catering Restaurants
    4. Grocery/Food Marts
  3. Class 3: 1,000 gallon Grease Interceptor or equivalent device which has been approved by the Kentucky Division of Plumbing and MSD.
    1. Full-Service Restaurants
  4. Class 4: 1,500 gallon Grease Interceptor or equivalent device which has been approved by the Kentucky Division of Plumbing and MSD.
    1. Buffets
    2. Cafeteria Facilities

Class 5: 2,000 gallon grease interceptor or two 1000 gallon grease interceptors installed in series or equivalent devices which has been approved by the Kentucky Division of Plumbing and MSD.

  • Institutions
  • Schools
  • Hospitals
  • Prisons

IMPORTANT NOTES:

  1. Grease interceptor capacity should not exceed 2,000 gallons for each interceptor tank. In the event that the grease interceptor calculated capacity needs to exceed 2,000 gallons, the FSE shall install an additional interceptor of the appropriate size.
  2. If FSEs need more than one interceptors, then they need to be installed in such a manner to ensure positive flow between the tanks at all times. Therefore, tanks shall be installed so that the inlet invert of each successive tank shall be a minimum of 2 inches below the outlet invert of the preceding tank.
  3. Grease interceptors that are installed in series shall include adaptors, gaskets or flexible transition couplings of minimum of schedule 40 PVC pipe.

5. Pipes and sewer lines need to be separate from each other.

Kitchen process lines and sanitary lines may combine prior to entering the public sewer ONLY AFTER passing through the grease control equipment.

Sanitary wastewater, or black water, cannot be connected to grease control equipment.

6. Coffee shops have additional regulations.

Coffee shops do not get exemptions due to the pH of wastewater. They will also be required to install polyethylene, plastic or fiberglass under 25 gallon per minute/50 lb capacity sink grease traps on 3-compartment sinks.

7. Compliance deadlines have a 6-month or less timestamp.

FSEs with existing substandard or undersized grease control equipment will get a written notice of deficiency from MSD. Compliance deadlines will not exceed more than 6 months.

8. There are several important prohibitions.

Prohibited actions by FSEs to avoid contributing to the MSD collection system include:

  1. Running hot water continuously through grease control equipment
  2. Discharge concentrated alkaline or acidic solutions into grease control equipment
  3. Discharge of concentrated detergents into grease control equipment
  4. Use additives for grease management
    1. Additives are any products that contain solvents, acids, bacteria, enzymes, emulsifiers, and other similar ingredients. They have the potential to contribute to FOG buildup and interference with MSD systems. This is especially problematic if you use them right before liquids go into grease traps or interceptors.

There are a few exceptions here. You can use additives to clean drain lines, but only in amounts and ways such that FOGs won’t be put into the sewer system or that FOGs will be temporarily broken down and allowed to pass through grease traps and interceptors. Additionally, 100% bacteria additives are allowed to be used, but you need to get MSD approval first. Always check with MSD before using any additives you think may be allowable.

9. FSEs shall observe Best Management Practices (BMPs) for controlling the discharge of FOG from their facility.

The Best Management Practices include:

  • Keep Grease out of kitchen drains by collecting and rendering yellow grease in a recycling bin that a permitted waste hauler can accept.
  • Scrape grease and food solids from plates and cookware before washing.
  • Use strainers in the sink and floor drains to prevent large food particles from entering internal plumbing and public sewers.
  • Never pour grease, dairy products, syrups, icings, batters, or gravies into floor drains or mop sinks.
  • Wipe up grease spills with paper towels or absorbents before using water.
  • Have your Grease Control Equipment cleaned on the proper frequency by a Certified Hauler.
  • Educate and train employees on all kitchen Best Management Practices.

10. MSD has the right of entry for inspection and monitoring of grease control equipment.

MSD retains the right to enter the premises of restaurants and kitchens to determine whether the FSE is complying with MSD policy. FSEs must allow MSD personnel full access to all parts of the premises for the purpose of inspection, monitoring, and/or records examination after presenting their credentials. Furthermore, unreasonable delays in allowing MSD personnel access to the FSE premises will result in a violation of the Wastewater/Stormwater Discharge Regulations and FOG Guidelines.

Keep Up to Date With MSD Guidelines in Louisville, KY with Moon Grease Trap Cleaning

There are plenty of other requirements a restaurant and a certified grease hauler need to satisfy in Louisville, KY. Since we need to know the best practices and certification needs, Moon Grease Trap Cleaning has knowledgeable experts who will make sure your FSE is up to code. Schedule your next grease service by contacting Moon Grease Trap Cleaning at 502-776-2199!  We are happy to answer any and all questions you may have!

Moon Companies
Moon Grease Trap Cleaning is a part of Moon Companies. We offer a wide variety of trade services for the citizens and businesses of Louisville, KY, Southern Indiana, and the surrounding areas.
  1. Shipping Container Rentals: For those looking to buy or rent new or used shipping containers, Moon Trailer Leasing has a large selection of one-trip Conex boxes, as well as pre-fabricated portable offices.
  2. Portapotty Rentals: Rent out restrooms, luxury bathroom trailers, commercial shower trailers, and handwashing stations from Moon Portable Restrooms for your next construction site or outdoor event.
  3. Dumpster Rentals: Moon Mini Dumpsters delivers roll-off dumpsters directly to your home or business and then hauls away your trash for you.
  4. Refrigerated Container Rentals: For refrigerated containers rentals in Louisville, KY, contact Moon Refrigeration about our ready-to-go reefer containers.
  5. Portable Storage Units: Go Minis KY is a premier storage choice that offers an onsite storage, location-to-location moving services, and secure warehouse storage
  6. Grease Trap and Interceptor Cleaning: Keep your restaurant up to regulation and schedule your restaurant’s grease trap cleanings with Moon Grease Trap Cleaning.
Call us today at 502-776-2199 to learn more or schedule your service!
What is FOG? Fats Oils Grease

What is FOG?

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FOG, or Fats, Oils, and Grease, refers to byproducts that are created during food preparation, cooking, dish cleaning, and grease cleaning. It has the potential to enter wastewater and clog up the sewer system. Let’s take a look at the science behind FOG and why it’s so important to prevent build-up.

What is FOG?

As mentioned above, FOG (Fats, Oil, and Grease) is a byproduct of cooking. Many types of food and food byproducts combine to form this byproduct in the cooking process, including meats, fish, nuts, dairy products, soups, and more. FOG is sometimes referred to as brown grease. Basically, it’s the greasy gunk that is left over after you are done cooking.

FOG is made up of fatty acids and glycerol. One example of a part of a FOG compound is triglycerides. Triglycerides are found in vegetable oils and animal fats. They can be either solid or liquid at room temperature, and are less dense than water, so they float in water. At a chemical level, this chemical compound is comprised of three fatty acids and one molecule of glycerol.

Settings where FOG can be an issue

Any setting where cooking happens can lead to a high amount of FOG. We might first think of restaurants when we think of FOG. Restaurants do create a lot of it in the process of producing their products. But, there are plenty of other sources too, like hospitals, community centers, bakeries, hotels, and more. These FOG-producing entities are collectively referred to as Food Service Establishments (FSE). As a collective, FSE are very significant contributors of FOG to sewer systems.

How it affects the sewer system

If FOG is not properly removed from wastewater, its presence can wreak havoc in sewer systems. Elements of it end up clogging sewer pipes through a series of complex chemical reactions when it enters the sewer system. Basically, it breaks down and reforms to combine with other chemicals present in sewers, leading to a buildup of soap-like compounds. These blockages reduce the flow of wastewater in sewers, and if left unaddressed can completely block outflows. This means sewers can overflow and plumbing can be blocked in commercial and residential settings.

Preventing blockages

The best way to prevent these blockages from becoming issues is to prevent FOG from entering sewer systems in the first place. This is where grease traps and grease interceptors come in handy at FSE. Grease traps and interceptors are systems that help remove FOG from wastewater before that water enters the sewer system. Check out our blog post on how these two systems work in more detail.

Grease traps and interceptors are crucial for public sewer systems, and as such there are a number of rules and regulations on their use for FSE. But, the specific regulations can vary by state and locality. Working with an experienced business like Moon Grease Trap Cleaning is a great way to stay up to date on regulations and maintain clean and safe grease traps and grease interceptors.

Schedule your next grease service by contacting Moon Grease Trap Cleaning at 502-776-2199. We are happy to answer any and all questions you may have.