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Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG)
Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG)
FOG is an acronym for Fats, Oils and Grease that are deposited into the sanitary sewer system. Once FOG cools in the drain, the water will then separate, and sticks to the walls of pipes. It builds up over time and can clog or block the pipes completely, resulting in sanitary sewer overflows. FOG related overflows can cause raw sewage to back up into homes, businesses, and neighborhoods, leading to costly property damage, environmental damage, and civil penalties and fines. FOG causes the majority of all dry weather sewer overflows.
Types of FOG:
| Meat fats in cooking and food scraps | Gravy |
| Cooking Oil | Mayonnaise or Salad Dressings |
| Shortening | Sour Cream |
| Lard, Butter, or Margarine | Other Foods High In Fat |
FOG Residential
Seal It, Scrape It, or Wipe It
- Pour into containers such as old coffee cans. When solidified, it can be thrown in the trash.
- Scrape as much FOG off of pans, plates, or cooking utensils into the garbage.
- Use a paper towel to wipe out remaining grease before washing.
FOG Commercial
FOG in commercial kitchens is an issue due to the large volume of fats, oils, and grease used in the cooking process that can cause stoppages in the sewer system. These stoppages can cause backups and overflow of the sewer system that can cause environmental and public health concerns.
Grease traps or grease interceptors are used at any food service establishment that has the potential of discharging FOG into the sewer system. The traps need to be pumped at least every 90 days or less based on the amount of FOG that is discharged from the facility.
According to Title 10 of City Code, CCU has the authority to enforce commercial FOG dischargers to abide by the Gravity Grease Interceptor Policy and FOG Control Program which is listed below.