Whether you’re a RTE processor or food service establishment (FSE), publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) usually have manuals or handbooks to help with managing fats, oils and greases (FOG) in waste streams. They also provide stern warnings about excessive levels of FOG in waste streams. But, if you have your own pretreatment or wastewater system on site, you can appreciate the difficulties that POTWs face when too much FOG winds up in lines or at the input of the treatment system.
And if you try to fix the situation by throwing chemicals—such as emulsifying agents—at FOG buildups in the plant rather than mechanically removing the buildup, you can create further problems. While emulsifying agents can dissolve solidified grease, the grease can re-congeal further downstream in the sanitary collection system. Caustics, acids and solvents can have other harmful effects on the wastewater treatment system and be hazardous to those working in the wastewater collection system.