Should I take on grease trap jobs?
Question:
A couple of the local restaurants in our small community have approached us regarding pumping their grease traps. I’ve done (minimal) research and there doesn’t seem to be an easy way to dispose of this stuff. Is anyone out there pumping grease traps and where/how are you disposing of this particular type of waste? Someone told me there were processors who would buy the waste, but I can’t seem to locate them.
Answers:
Check with your local POTW (publicly owned treatment works, or sewer plant) or your local city or county government. Some sewer plants will accept grease. There are some grease recyclers, but possibly none in your area.
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It depends on the area. Some regions have specific grease disposal facilities because the municipal sewage plants won’t take it. Some plants will take grease if you mix it in the right proportions with septic waste. I use a facility that charges about $200 per 1,000 gallons of grease. I don’t know of anyone who will buy our grease. That’s generally cooking grease (yellow) as opposed to sludge/waste grease.
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Call the largest wastewater plant in your area. If they have anaerobic digesters, they may be able to take it or direct you to someone who does. If that doesn’t work, your landfill may accept it if you absorb the liquids with kitty litter and put it in a sealed container.
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I’m in Tucumcari, N.M., and we have a small, antiquated waste treatment plant that will not take waste from grease traps and I couldn’t find one close enough to us to make it feasible to provide the service — too cost prohibitive. I’ll pursue the “kitty litter” treatment with our local landfill.
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We do grease traps and we are required to dump the grease at the city landfills, where we are charged tipping fees.
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We handle 300 grease traps monthly. We dispose of it at a facility nearby. However, we also deploy a unit that manufactures biology on site and helps us pump fewer solids. We still pump, but it reduces the cost of disposal.
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The operation where we normally empty our septic trucks also takes grease, but they charge a lot more per gallon for it. If you do get into it, make sure to check your local disposal codes. Every location seems to have different rules regarding different wastes. Also, if grease traps in the restaurants haven’t been cleaned in quite a while, the grease may be somewhat difficult to get out. I would suggest taking a look inside the traps and possibly having a price for the first cleaning then put them on a “maintenance plan” with a price per pump.
Keeping clean on the job
Question:
How many of you don’t wear gloves when pumping? On my first step out of the truck my gloves are on. I had a Department of Natural Resources gentlemen cut his hand on a broken bottle while wearing thin surgical gloves. I flushed the cut with peroxide and he ended getting nine stitches. The emergency room workers said peroxide was the right thing to do. The glass was brown from waste at a wayside.
Answers:
I’ve always carried water jugs for hand-washing. About 2 tablespoons of bleach in a gallon water jug. I also carry spray bottles with about a tablespoon of bleach and water and rolls and rolls of paper towels. I wash after every job, before I get in the cab to do any billing, etc. The spray bottle and paper towels do a quick disinfect on my hands, cell phone, etc. I also carry petroleum jelly that I work into my hands as a moisture barrier. I also use disposable nitrile gloves when needed. The petroleum jelly keeps your hands from chapping due to the constant hand-washing.
I just got over a bad flu. The last flu I had was two years ago, and before that it was seven years ago. I think the cell phone is what got me lately. Spraying the cell phone is my latest routine.
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My problem has always been employees who wear gloves, but don’t take them off before using the door handles on the truck. Then in the winter time they want to keep the gloves in the truck.
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The gloves are on any time I touch any of the tools I use when pumping!
