FOG Facts
Did You Know?
- A 1 liter carton of dairy cream has enough fat content to cover the surface of an Olympic size swimming pool?
- FOG is highly acidic and has corrosive properties that can damage your plumbing and sewer components.
- FOG does not mix with water. Keep handy cat litter or flour to pick up a FOG spill to avoid slips and falls.
- At high temperatures FOG is in a liquid form but when it cools FOG becomes a solid mass. This causes many of the FOG problems to be found further away from the source.
Taking a proactive approach to FOG management will protect your community, your family, and your home and other valuable assets.
Read an article about Grease Interceptor Facts and Myths (PDF).
The Facts About Hauling FOG
FOG Hauling companies have very few places to dump FOG. Many of these companies travel miles just to dispose of FOG properly. Haulers in the Worcester area have to drive 51 miles (A 2 hour round trip drive) to dump FOG at the Raynham Transfer Station.
The cost (Tipping fee) to dump FOG is around 18 to 13 cents a gallon versus sewage at 5 cents per gallon.
The loyalty to FOG Haulers is one of the lowest in the food service business. Many Haulers loose contracts over a few cents.
When a Hauler is able to under cut his/her competitors it should raise questions of how and where these haulers are able to charge such an amount and not loose money. There are many ways haulers can cheat the system some are:
- Mixing sewer and septic in the same load and trying to hide it at the transfer station by various means like using PH altering products.
- Skimming tanks or direct discharging full loads into grease interceptors connected to city/town sewer systems.
FOG pumping typically occurs in the early morning or late evening to avoid issues with the restaurant operation. Be sure to hold haulers accountable for the important service they are providing. Give the business of managing your FOG systems to those Haulers with a good reputation and experience.
Contact the local Board of Health to see if the hauler is permitted and has any violations on record.
- Do I need an interceptor at a Produce Washing Sink?
- How can I learn how to make Biodiesel?
- How can I find out more about FOG?
- I'm getting an odor from my Grease interceptor. What can I do?
- What will pick up a FOG spill?
- Where can I go to see if an alternative interceptor technology is approved in Massachusetts?
- How will FOG damage my plumbing and sewer system?