If you're running a food establishment, regular disposal of fat, oil, and grease (FOG) takes time and money. By operating an environmentally-friendly kitchen, you can turn a cost center into a profit center in your kitchen.
FOG Disposal
When fats, oil, and grease go down drains, they clog sewer lines, which can cause sewage backups. Your commercial kitchen can do its part in keeping your local sewage system clean of FOG by:
- never placing FOG down drains
- using traps in sink and floor drains
- having regular grease trap maintenance performed.
By disposing of FOG responsibly, you can also reduce costs and even profit from your yellow gold. Used cooking oil (UCO) can be sold for recycling and used in composting. Preserve your cooking oil by pouring it into a container. Also scrape oil from dishes into the container.
Recycling Cooking Oil
Used cooking oil is called liquid gold for good reason. Recycled cooking oil has value in the marketplace. Uses for recycled UCO are growing. End markets include:
- biodiesel, which is in high demand in transportation to meet vehicle fuel standards
- cosmetics and soaps
- animal feed
- plastics
After collecting your used cooking oil in containers, you can then sell it to a recycler. The recycler removes the debris (e.g., food, seasoning), and then sells the yellow grease to various end-users. Some FOG will still accumulate in sinks and floor drains, and, therefore, regular cleaning by your grease trap maintenance service should be maintained.
Composting Food Scraps
Composting food scraps reduces waste disposal time and costs. The fats, oils, and grease in food scraps help to accelerate your compost. Organic waste is also a good source of nitrogen-rich green material for a compost. Though be sure to avoid placing meat in the compost.
Placing large amounts of cooking oil in the compost, however, is not good for the compost. Too much FOG will:
- slow down the composting process
- attract rodents.
Your food scraps with FOG, on the other hand, provide a good source of greens. Worms love to feast on oil. If you grow your own fresh veggies in a garden, the nitrogen-rich compost will nourish and produce healthier vegetables for your cuisine.
Ask your grease trap maintenance service if they also take used cooking oil. Having one service take care of both grease trap maintenance and UCO recycling in the same visit to your restaurant can further lower your costs.
For additional information, reach out to a local grease trap maintenance service.
Share