Keep fats, oils, and grease (FOG) and garbage out of the Sanitary Sewer!

When poured down the drain, even in small amounts, FOG overtime coats and clogs pipes which can lead to unexpected blockages, back-ups and odors into homes and businesses. FOG is a natural by-product of food preparation, cooking, and kitchen cleanup. Examples of FOG include:

• Meat (bacon, sausage, beef, pork, chicken, lamb)
• Food scraps, pastries, baked goods
• Dairy (heavy cream, yogurt, sour cream, cheese, ice cream)
• Butter, lard, margarine, cooking oil, shortening, fondant, tallow
• Sauces, dressings, sandwich spreads, gravies
• Mop water, sponges, rags
• Machine lubricants
• Cosmetic oils

Failure to manage and properly dispose of FOG can result in:

• Blockages that can lead to damaged or obstructed sewer lines, failed sewer lift stations, and/or sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) onto streets and into storm drains that lead to local streams, sensitive areas, and the Green River.
• Expensive and unpleasant cleanup of raw sewage that often must be paid for by the property owner.
• Possible contact with disease-causing organisms.
• Harmful impacts on the environment.
• An increase in operation and maintenance costs for the city of Kent sanitary sewer departments, resulting in higher sewage bills.

Residential FOG Information

Avoid costly and destructive sanitary sewer back-ups in your home by following these free and simple tips: 

• Pour cooled fats, oils, and grease into a covered disposable container and throw it into the garbage. Never pour fats, oils and grease down the sink, or the toilet. 
• Before washing, scrape residual food and grease from pots, pans, and dishes into the garbage.
• Soak up remaining oils and grease with paper towels then toss soiled paper towels into the garbage or kitchen compost bin. 
• Use strainers in kitchen, bathroom, and Laundry sinks to catch residual food waste, hair, and trash. Clean routinely.
• Disconnect and stop use of in-sink garbage disposals which flush fats, oils, and grease, food, and trash into sewers.

Don’t trash your toilets and sink!

When FOG, wipes, and trash get into the sewer lines, it cools and sticks to the pipes, blocking wastewater flow. This poses a significant problem for the city of Kent and the King County Wastewater Treatment Plant. Putting the wrong things down sinks and toilets might also cause expensive plumbing problems in your home that lead to insurance claims and damaged possessions. Remember, only flush pee, poop and toilet paper down your toilet!

Toilets and Sinks are not trash bins!

• Do not pour liquid fats, oils or grease into sinks, toilets, and utility sinks. This includes dairy, sauces, cosmetic oils, or lotions.
• Do not pour chemicals, solvents, paint, or medications down sink drains or in toilets.
• Do not flush cleaning wipes, baby wipes, facial tissues or paper towels.
• Do not flush wrappers, feminine products, condoms, kitty litter, coffee grounds, cotton pads, dental floss, and other garbage in toilets.
• Do not flush or litter facial masks or gloves – they can clog pipes and sewer equipment. If thrown on the ground outside your home, they become a health and wildlife hazard.

Do not be fooled by labeling. Flushables do not dissolve—they can stick to and clog sewer equipment, and cause back-ups in your home.

Download our residential FOG poster

Managing FOG in your Restaurant and Commercial Kitchen

Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG), food waste and trash can wreak havoc on your internal plumbing and further downstream in the sanitary sewer system. The City of Kent Public Works Sewer Division inspects, cleans, and maintains the public sewer system serving your business. Unfortunately, poor business disposal practices result in emergency callouts and response for sewer crews to clean-up sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs), clear blockages in manholes and sewer lines, and unclog and repair failed pump station equipment.

In 2010, the Public Works Environmental Engineering Division initiated an educational inspection program that aids in the prevention of sanitary sewer destruction, blockages, and obstructions from the contribution and accumulation of FOG, food waste and trash into the sanitary sewer system from FOG generating businesses such as restaurants, commercial kitchens, and food processing establishments.

Our goal is to educate business owners and staff about FOG Best Management Practices (BMPs) and to inspect businesses to ensure compliance with Kent City Code 7.04.180

What are FOG Best Management Practices (BMPs)?

FOG BMPs help reduce maintenance costs, prevent costly and damaging raw sewage back-ups in your business, and help with avoiding penalties for non-compliance.

Indoor BMPs:

• Scrape all FOG and food solids from dishware and cookware into trash before washing.
• Install properly sized screens for all drains to prevent solids, trash and foreign objects from getting into the sanitary system.
• Don't use degreasers or emulsifiers in your building sewer system.
• Routinely clean vent hoods and filters indoors where wash water is directed to the sanitary sewer through a FOG removal device.
• Install and maintain a FOG Removal Device (Grease Trap or Interceptor) per Kent City Code 7.04.180.
• Clean floor mats and other greasy equipment in your utility sink or dishwasher. Or take to your local self-serve car wash to pressure wash mats in a wash bay that is connected to sanitary sewer.
• Prevent spillage when transferring cooking oil to an outside oil waste bin.

Spill Prevention and Clean-up:

Even if taking all precautions, accidental spills happen. Have a spill response plan in place, spill material on hand and routinely train employees to:

• Control the spill in a safe manner.
• Contain the spill to prevent the pollution from entering your floor drain inside or entering a nearby storm drain outside.
• Clean-up the area with spill response material.

Employees should be familiar with where the spill kit is located, how to utilize absorbents on a spill and replenishing contents of the spill kit used.

For larger spills, refer to our Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination page.

Don’t Have a spill kit? Have questions about spills? Call Public Works Engineering at 253-856-5500. We can help answer your questions and provide you with a free spill kit for your FOG-generating business.

Your business is responsible for the operation and maintenance of your private drainage system. If pollution or non-stormwater from a leak, spill, or cleaning activity reach the storm drain, it is your responsibility to immediately hire a licensed and bonded vendor to clean the pollutants from your private system.

Outdoor BMPs – Only Rain Down the Drain!

Requirements for FOG-Generating Businesses

Does my business need to install a FOG Removal Device?

All FOG-generating facilities are required to install, operate, and maintain FOG removal devices (better known as grease trap, grease interceptor and oil-water separator) of an approved type and adequate size. These devices effectively remove polar (animal) and nonpolar (vegetable) FOG, sludge, and settled solids from wastewater before it enters the public sanitary sewer.

FOG Q&A

What is a FOG Generating Facility?

Fats, oils, and grease (FOG) generating facility means any food processing establishment, food service establishment, oil generating facility, and any other facility that discharges either polar FOG or nonpolar FOG into the public sanitary sewer.

What are the requirements of installing a grease trap?

• Get a plumbing permit from the City of Kent Permit Center.
• Schedule an inspection of the grease trap installation.
• Prior to grease trap being put into operation, acquire approval from Building Services.
• Do not cover or conceal any work before it is inspected and approved by City inspectors.
• Only install in locations where grease traps are readily and easily accessible for cleaning, maintenance, and inspection.
• All businesses and hired contractors/plumbers conducting business in Kent are required to get a Kent Business License through FileLocal
• Retain copy of signed-off permit and manufacturer’s specifications.

How often should I clean my grease trap?

Maintenance of grease traps must be scheduled often enough so that FOGs, settled solids and sludge do not leave the device through its outlet. At a minimum, grease traps should be cleaned when:

• The volume of FOG, settled sludge and solids make up 25 percent of the effective liquid volume.
• The inlet, outlet, flow control, or vent displays visible buildup or is obstructed with FOG or other debris.
• Manufacturer’s maintenance specifications

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