Case Study

Untreated grease traps need to be pumped frequently at a substantial expense and emit obnoxious odors. Additional expense is often incurred by the fines imposed by a municipality due to elevated levels of BOD, FOG and suspended solids.

The addition of BioLine®, which contains selected friendly, naturally-occurring, bacterial strains, significantly reduces the level of fats, oils, greases, solids and odors in grease traps.

Due to environmental and maintenance concerns, the use of BioLine® as a cost effective, biological additive is essential for a properly maintained grease trap.

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Case Study for Optimal Grease Trap Performance

Introduction:

Grease traps can be found in virtually all food service facilities. By design, a grease trap not only traps grease, but it also traps other solid food material. The purpose of a grease trap is the on-site collection of food waste that would otherwise flow directly to the municipal waste water treatment facility. As the waste collects, the trap becomes less efficient and finally reaches the point where it becomes clogged and fails. Trap failure results in drain back-ups and the release of obnoxious odors into the food handling establishment. Once it has failed, the trap will require pumping and cleaning. The result is added expense and inconvenience for the management of the food service facility, and offensive odors for the patrons. As demonstrated above, the use of Bio-Rooter®’s specially selected bacteria will significantly reduce the need for pumping, while controlling obnoxious odors commonly associated with a grease trap.

Procedure:

This study was performed in specially designed and constructed 10 gallon polycarbonate grease traps modeled after grease traps in commercial use. Since the types of waste found in grease traps differ from location to location, a uniform mixture of food waste, consisting of 33% fat, 33% protein, and 33% carbohydrate was added twice daily. The traps were inoculated with a sludge mixture obtained from various commercial grease traps. The sludge material contained high levels of various naturally occurring bacteria found in commercial traps. After one week of adding food waste and sludge material, one trap was treated with Bio-Rooter®’s bacterial strains. The bacteria were added once per day, after the second addition of waste material. The traps were also flushed with 5 gallons of water twice a day. After six weeks, the traps were disassembled and the contents tested for levels of fat, oils, and grease (FOG), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and volatile fatty acids (odor).

Results:

The test results demonstrated a dramatic difference between the control trap and the trap treated with Bio-Rooter®’s bacteria. This difference can be seen in Pictures 3 and 4. These pictures are a side view of the grease traps. Waste material enters the trap on the right side of the picture. The traps contain a baffle system that is designed to trap the grease and solid waste that enters the trap allowing only liquefied material to exit the trap (left hand side of the picture).

Picture 3 is the control trap and Picture 4 is the trap treated with Bio-Rooter®’s bacteria. As depicted in these pictures, the untreated trap has a substantially greater accumulation of solids than the treated trap. In fact the solids level in the control trap is at the point where it will soon clog and cause an odor-releasing backup.

Summary:

Untreated grease traps need to be pumped frequently, at significant expense, and emit obnoxious odors, often in the middle of a working kitchen or other food handling facility. Additional expense is often incurred by the fines and surcharges that are imposed by a municipality due to elevated levels of BOD, FOG and suspended solids.

As demonstrated by the photographs and test data presented in this technical bulletin, the addition of a grease trap maintenance product containing Bio-Rooter®’s selected, non-pathogenic bacterial strains significantly reduces the level of fats, oils, greases, solids and odors in grease traps.

Due to legislative, environmental, and maintenance issues, the use of Bio-Rooter®’s cost effective biological additive is essential for a properly maintained grease trap.

Please see “Product Line” for details of Bio-Rooter® Products.