Grease Trap Regulations in Miami-Dade County
Grease trap regulations in Miami-Dade County are serious business. Miami-Dade County is under court order as of March 2018 to comply with an EPA mandated FOG control program and ordinance. This FOG control program specifies the type of devices (grease traps/interceptors) that restaurants must install and the standards required to properly maintain and service these traps.
The grease trap regulations in Miami-Dade County require that a restaurant:
- Have a grease discharge Annual Operating Permit (GDO)
- Maintain a grease trap in good working order
- Have a grease trap that complies with Miami-Dade county requirements
- Clean the trap with the frequency defined in the permit
- Report (online) when their grease traps are cleaned
- Maintain a maintenance log, available for inspection for 3 years
The penalties for non-compliance with grease trap regulations in Miami-Dade County are significant and can result in fines or the shut down of your business.
The grease trap regulations in Miami-Dade County further specify that a restaurant must use a licensed hauler displaying a DERM decal. At each cleaning, the hauler will provide a manifest detailing the services performed which should be added to the maintenance log.
We all know why ordinances like this exist. It is to keep fats, oils and grease from clogging our sewer systems and waterways which cause backups and “fatbergs” like this one in London.
How must a grease trap be cleaned in Miami-Dade County?
Grease trap regulations in Miami-Dade County are very specific as to how a grease trap must be cleaned, by whom and what happens to the contents of the trap.
- Cleaning a Grease Trap includes pumping all wastewater and waste (FOG, settled solids, etc.,) from the system to a truck licensed by DERM to haul and dispose waste at an approved facility. Skimming, decanting, or putting any wastewater or waste back in the system is prohibited
- Utilizing an unlicensed hauler is prohibited. The licensed hauler MUST exhibit a DERM decal
When must a grease trap be cleaned in Miami-Dade County?
An internationally accepted standard for when a grease trap should be cleaned is the one quarter rule. If the grease trap is ¼ full with FOGs the trap should be cleaned immediately. More than ¼ full and the trap can no longer do its job. This typically means most restaurants clean their traps every 1 to 3 months depending on how much grease they produce.
Miami-Dade is operating under a federally mandated set of standards controlling FOGs. Those regulations specify standards for the type of grease trap to be installed as well as the operation, maintenance and reporting required for all restaurants and food establishments. All food establishments are required to acquire and maintain a GDO, a Discharge Control Operating Permit. Failure to comply with these regulations can be very expensive.
Contact CleanFri to schedule your grease trap cleaning and used cooking oil pickup together.