Why it’s important for restaurants and takeaways to manage fats, oils and greases ‘FOG’

Every year Thames Water clears over 85,000 blockages caused by people putting the wrong things down their drains. The biggest cause of these blockages is fats, oils and greases. FOG is generated during the preparation, cooking and cleaning up of food, the pots & pans, utensils, crockery and the kitchen itself.

Everyone is responsible for helping to prevent blockages caused by FOG and food waste which can lead to fatbergs. Running a professional kitchen is hard enough. But when your premises are flooded with sewage or you can’t flush the toilet due to a blockage your customers may well remember you for the sewage incident and not your menu.

Whether you’re the owner of an independent food business or responsible for the catering of a larger organisation, there are a lot of simple things you can do in the kitchen to help reduce the chances of this happening to you.

Below are 3 things to consider:

Best Kitchen Practice

Washing up- Wipe pots, pans and utensils with paper towels before washing up.

The sink- Always use a sink strainer and scrape any leftover food into the bin.

Floors- Don’t sweep rubbish into the drains, sweep it up and put it in the bin.

Leftovers – Collect leftover oil and fat in an air tight container to prevent bad smells.

Waste oil- Arrange for your leftover oil to be collected by a licensed waste contractor.

Grease Management

As well as good kitchen practice there’s a range of specialist equipment such as Grease Removal Units and Grease Separators that can prevent FOG reaching your waste pipes. A specialist supplier can carry out a site survey and recommend the correct equipment needed for your kitchen.

This equipment must be frequently cleaned and maintained in order to ensure FOG does not enter the sewer through your drains.

Training your employees

It’s important that everyone working for you knows the best way to get rid of waste from your kitchen. Training everyone and helping them understand why it’s important can help in preventing your business’s pipes from being blocked. 

Keeping fats, oils and greases out of drains is always the most effective solution to keep your pipes clear of blockages. Discharging these substances is illegal, you could face fines or prosecution under Section 111 of The Water Industry Act 1991.

For more information on managing fat, oil and grease.....

Get in touch: Thames Water
thameswater.co.uk/foodwaste 
alice.nield@thameswater.co.uk

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