Pasadena Municipal Code Ch. 8.14 Grease and Oil Disposal Ordinance

This chapter shall be known as the "grease and oil disposal" ordinance.

(Ord. 6893 § 2 (part), 2002)

The city council finds that sewage overflow released at inappropriate exit points releases contamination, creating public health risks and property damage. Cooking grease and oil from a heavy concentration of restaurants in a small area can enter the city's sewer system. The purpose of this chapter is to regulate the disposal of food service establishment cooking greases so as to prevent blockages in the city's sewer system caused by the collection of grease, thereby forcing raw sewage to escape through manhole covers, surface drainage systems or other inappropriate exit points.

(Ord. 6893 § 2 (part), 2002)

As used in this chapter, the following terms have the meanings set forth below:

A. "Best management practices" means activities, prohibitions of practices, maintenance procedures, and other management practices as determined by the Public Health Department and the Public Works and Transportation Department to prevent or reduce the discharge of fats, oils and greases into the public sewer and storm drain systems.

B. "Fats, oils and greases" means organic polar compounds derived from animal and/or plant sources, containing multiple carbon chain triglyceride molecules, detectable and measurable using analytical test procedures established in Section 136 of Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as amended, hereafter sometimes referred to as "grease" or "greases."

C. "Grease trap" means a device hooked directly to the outgoing drains of sinks and dishwashers, inside the restaurant near the food preparation areas, intended for separating the grease from the wastewater before it enters the sewer collection and treatment system.

D. "Grease interceptor" means a large underground tank installed outside the restaurant and connected to the restaurant's outgoing sewer drainage system, designed for removing and preventing fats, oils, and grease from entering the sewer collection system.

E. "Food service establishment" means a facility engaged in preparing food for consumption by the public such as a restaurant, commercial kitchen, caterer, hotel, school, hospital, prison, correctional facility, or care institution, which prepares food by frying, baking, grilling, sauteing, broiling, rotisserie cooking, boiling, blanching, roasting, toasting, poaching, infrared heating, barbecuing, or any other method of food preparation that produces a hot, nondrinkable food product in or on a receptacle that requires washing.

F. "Minimum design capability" means the design features of a grease interceptor and the capacity or volume required effectively to intercept and retain grease from grease-laden wastewater discharged into the sewer collection and treatment system.

G. "Solid waste disposal" means disposing of small amounts of grease by wrapping the grease in paper or storing it in a container for disposal with the restaurant's daily trash and garbage.

H. "Wastewater" means used or spent water from homes, communities, farms and businesses that contains enough harmful material to damage the water's quality. Wastewater includes both the domestic sewage and industrial waste from manufacturing sources.

(Ord. 6893 § 2 (part), 2002)

Any condition caused or permitted to exist in violation of the requirements of this chapter shall be deemed and is declared to be a public nuisance.

(Ord. 6893 § 2 (part), 2002)

All food service establishments which discharge wastewater into the city's sewer collection and treatment system shall implement the following requirements:

A. Owners and employees of a food service establishment shall implement and be able to demonstrate compliance with the best management practices for handling fats, oils and grease.

B. Containers used for storage of fats, oils and grease shall be kept in leak-proof containers and shall be secured with close-fitting lids so as to minimize the creation of a nuisance condition. The storage container shall be kept in a location on the premises so that there is no possibility of an accidental or deliberate spillage of the waste onto the public right-of-way. All stored fats, oils, and grease shall be removed for recycling as frequently as may be necessary to prevent the creation of a nuisance. Spillage of any fats, oils and grease shall be removed and cleaned immediately.

C. All new food service establishments shall be required to submit to the Public Health Department plans outlining the manner in which they will comply with the grease interceptor requirements. All existing food service establishments which plan modifications in plumbing improvements, with a building permit evaluation of $20,000 or more, shall be required to include in the plan the manner in which they will comply with the grease interceptor requirements.

D. Food service establishments subject to the grease interceptor requirements (as outlined in subsection C above) may be granted a variance if the enforcement official determines that installation of a grease interceptor would be infeasible due to space constraints or other factors. The enforcement official may authorize the installation of a grease trap or other alternative pre-treatment technology where the installation of a grease interceptor is infeasible. The food service establishment shall bear the burden of demonstrating that the installation of a grease interceptor is infeasible.

E. All alternative pre-treatment technology shall be appropriately sized and approved by the enforcement official prior to installation. Alternate pre-treatment technology includes, but is not limited to, devices used to trap, separate and store grease from wastewater, preventing it from being discharged into the city's sewer collection and treatment system.

(Ord. 6893 § 2 (part), 2002)

Grease interceptors shall conform with the following standards:

A. Grease interceptor sizing and installation shall conform to the requirements in the 1998 California Plumbing Code.

B. Grease interceptors shall be constructed in accordance with a design approved by the city engineer and shall have a minimum of two compartments with fittings designed for grease retention.

C. Grease interceptors shall be installed at a location easily accessible for inspection, cleaning, and removal of intercepted grease. The grease interceptor shall not be installed in any part of the building where food is handled. The location of the grease interceptor must be approved by the city engineer.

D. All such grease interceptors shall be serviced and emptied of accumulated waste contents as required in order to maintain minimum design capacity or effective volume. These devices must be inspected at least monthly.

E. Users who are required to main a grease interceptor shall provide for a minim hydraulic retention time in accordance with the 1998 California Plumbing Code, and remove any accumulated grease cap and sludge pocket as required.

F. Grease interceptors shall be kept free of inorganic solid materials such as grit, rocks, gravel, sand, eating utensils, cigarettes, shells, towels, rags, etc., which could settle into the sludge pocket and thereby reduce the effective volume of the device.

G. The grease interceptor user shall maintain a written record of inspection and maintenance for three (3) years. All such records shall be made available for on-site inspection by enforcement officials during all business operating hours.

H. Sanitary wastes shall not be allowed to be connected to sewer lines intended for grease interceptor service.

I. Users shall provide access manholes, with a minimum diameter of 24 inches, over each grease interceptor chamber and sanitary tee. The access manholes shall extend at least to finished grade and be designed and maintained to prevent water inflow or infiltration. The manholes shall also have readily removable covers to facilitate inspection, grease removal, and wastewater sampling activities.

(Ord. 6893 § 2 (part), 2002)

Grease traps shall conform with the following standards:

A. Upon approval by the enforcement officials, a grease trap complying with the provisions in this section, shall be installed in the waste line leading from sinks, drains, and other fixtures or equipment in food service establishments where grease may be introduced into the drainage or sewage system in quantities that could effect line stoppage or hinder sewage treatment or private sewage disposal.

B. Grease trap sizing and installation shall conform to the requirements in the 1998 California Plumbing Code.

C. No grease trap shall be installed which has a stated rate flow of more than 55 gallons per minute nor less than 20 gallons per minute, except when specifically authorized by the enforcement officials.

D. Grease traps shall be maintained in efficient operating condition by periodic removal of the accumulated grease. No such collected grease shall be introduced into any drainage piping, or public or private sever.

E. No food waste disposal unit or dishwater shall. be connected to or discharge into any grease trap.

F. Wastewater in excess of 140 degrees Fahrenheit, or 60 degrees Celsius shall not be discharged into a grease trap.

(Ord. 6893 § 2 (part), 2002)

The provisions of this chapter shall be jointly enforced by the Environmental Health Division Manager and the city engineer. They or their authorized representatives are hereby authorized to make such inspections and take such actions, including lawful entry upon such premises, as may be required to enforce the provisions of this chapter.

(Ord. 6893 § 2 (part), 2002)

When the enforcement officials determine that a food service establishment may be in violation of the provisions of this chapter, an administrative hearing may be scheduled to resolve the matter.

A. The owner of the food service establishment shall be issued a notice of administrative hearing at least ten (10) days before the scheduled hearing. The notice shall state the name and address of the property, the name of the owner of record, the nature of the alleged violation, the date, time and place of the hearing, and the enforcement official who shall hear the case.

B. Before the hearing commences; the enforcement official shall provide the food service establishment owner a copy of the staff report outlining the city's inspection activities related to the alleged violation and a proposed abatement plan if the official determines that a public nuisance exists on the property.

C. The owner shall be permitted to submit evidence to rebut the existence of a violation caused by the food service establishment.

D. At the conclusion of the hearing, the enforcement official shall make a finding concerning the allegation of public nuisance. This shall be the final administrative decision in the matter and a written determination letter shall be mailed to the owner.

(Ord. 6893 § 2 (part), 2002)

It is declared unlawful and a misdemeanor for the owner, manager or other employee of a commercial or nonprofit food service establishment to violate any of the provisions of this chapter. Alternatively, the city may address violations of this chapter through the administrative citation process outlined in Chapter 1.26 of the code. The city manager shall appointment an administrative hearing officer regarding any disputed administrative citations issued pursuant to Chapter 1.26.

(Ord. 6893 § 2 (part), 2002)

The following entities shall be exempt from this ordinance: retail food markets such as supermarkets, convenience stores, liquor stores, juice and beverage bars, candy stores and snack shops; sandwich shops; and movie theaters.

(Ord. 6893 § 2 (part), 2002)