The relevant legislation that covers the need for a grease trap can be found within the Water Industry Act 1991, specifically section 111.
We like making things simple, it’s in our nature. So we have taken the time to simplify a very wordy piece of law.
So…
It is an offence to empty anything that is likely to interfere with the free flow of any public sewer.
Let’s look at it in a bit more detail.
Now as we know, fats, oils and grease (FOG) massively interfere with the free flow of waste water. Everyone has had a negative experience of it at some point, whether it’s a blocked drain at home or an overflowed toilet, or sitting in a massive queue of traffic because one lane has been closed due to a blockage that requires specialist jetting to clear it. It’s frustrating. But we can all do our bit to help combat it. When FOG ends up down the drain it solidifies and forms those horrific fat bergs that always end up in the news.
To help prevent them ending up in the sewer, the legislation covers anything connected to a public sewer. This means that for those commercial kitchens connected to a public sewer, it’s an offence before the FOG even makes it to the public part.
A common misconception is that when we talk about fats, oils and grease ending up in the sewer, the first answer is that ‘we don’t pour oil down the sink’, which is great news and we wouldn’t want to hear anything different!
But guess what, there’s another monster forming in that sink of washing up, as soon as that plug is pulled all the grease from your normal washing up is going straight into your drain…..and that is connected to the public sewer!
Technically you are committing an offence contrary to section 111 of the Water Industry Act which carries a maximum penalty of 2 years in prison or a fine, sometimes both. All you were doing was washing up!
But fear not, it’s not all doom and gloom and we’re glad we got your attention. Yes it’s real, but luckily it’s easy to become compliant with this legislation with the help of FatTrap.
Protecting your wallet, protecting our planet.