Grease Is the Word ... for a New DEP Program for Residential Buildings

FOG can build up in the sewer by adhering to pipes, restricting the normal flow of sewage. Clogged sewers can cause sewage backups, unsanitary conditions and flooding, as well as damage to personal and public property, creating a health hazard.

Sewer? I Hardly Know Her!

In 2010, the DEP launched a program to deal with this: DEP's Grease Remediation Program within the Bureau of Wastewater Treatment. The Grease Remediation team's primary function is to enforce the city's sewer regulations. A section in the regulations requires certain types of businesses to install and maintain grease interceptors, which are devices that separate grease from wastewater before it gets into the sewer system.

The regulations also specify how large the interceptors must be and their periodic maintenance. Interceptors must be cleaned so that grease buildup does not cause them to exceed their rated capacities. The team inspects about 3,000 food service establishments per year and checks their interceptors for proper sizing, installation, and maintenance.

Home, Home on the Greasy Range

Now it's your turn. Last year, the DEP launched its Residential Grease Compliance Program for renters and cooperative and condominium residents. Its goal is to help prevent kitchen grease from being washed down the drain, clogging buildings' plumbing systems and entering the sewers. According to DEP spokeswoman Mercedes Padilla, the agency has been reaching out to large housing developments, major co-op and condo organizations, and councils and memberships of commercial building associations, some of whose tenants have executive dining rooms, employee kitchens, cafeterias and restaurants that DEP routinely inspects for grease interceptor compliance.

The agency has been reaching out to organizations such as the Council of New York Cooperatives & Condominiums, and Small Property Owners of New York, Padilla says, by mailing out information about the program and publishing information on how to avoid disposing of grease in the sewer system.

It is also distributing flyers in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Russian, and publishing articles in newsletters. DEP has placed posters on bulletin boards and has done door-to-door outreach. DEP representatives are attending annual and community meetings to inform tenants about the benefits of this program.

Here are some tips from the DEP. To prevent fat, oil, and grease from going down the drain, residents can:

• Pour cooled excess fats, oils, and grease in a container with a secured lid and discard that in a trash can.

• Remove oil and any small food pieces remaining on pots and pans by using a paper towel, and then placing the soiled towel with regular garbage.

• Scrape any food scraps from platters and dishes into garbage or garbage bag.

• Scoop out food scraps fitting in kitchen drain and put in the garbage.

• Avoid putting fats, oil, and grease down the garbage grinder.

Padilla says, “The agency will continue to reach out to residential buildings in New York City to keep the 7,400 miles of public sewers free of clog. Clogged sewers can cause sewage backups, unsanitary conditions, and flooding as well as damage to personal and public property creating a health hazard, unpleasant mess, and expensive cleanup costs.” Based on data from the federal Environmental Protection Agency, a national average of 40 percent of sewer backups are caused by grease clogging the sewers.

That's a lot of grease.

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