Waste water from business and home activities such as meal preparation and dishwashing contain oil, grease and suspended solids at levels that can build up in sewer pipes, restricting flows, and causing blockages. This can cause problems and expensive plumbing work for both businesses and households and also the municipalities. For those premises connected to the City of Hamilton sewer line, there is some limited screening at the Front Street Pumping Station, but this does not remove 100% of the Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG) that the waste water contains.

This waste water eventually ends up in our environment via the Seabright Outfall off the South Shore in Devonshire. Normally the sea provides good dilution, but on occasion, weather conditions contribute to the formation of grease balls which sometimes wash up on nearby shorelines. Government has put in place several measures to reduce the amount of FOG entering our waste stream.

What is FOG?

Fats, Oils and Grease, from sources such as:

Frying meats, bacon, hamburgers

Oils from deep frying

Gravies and sauces

Salad dressings

Food Scraps from plates

Although detergents and soap seemingly dissolve FOG, it passes down the drain or sewer line where it then congeals as it cools.

Commercial food establishments within the City sewerage area are currently upgrading their onsite FOG removal equipment and practices to ensure compliance with the new City of Hamilton FOG policy and all other commercial food establishments will receive similar advisories on reducing FOG at source, such as the correct design and operation of grease traps and interceptors. The City has employed a compliance officer to assist in this project.

The New Acute Care Wing of the King Edward Vll Memorial Hospital has a new, underground sewage treatment plant that will provide tertiary level treatment to all the hospitals waste, thereby assisting in improving the waste water quality at the Seabright outfall (Hospital waste makes up approx. 17% of the total).

The government Septage Facility where cesspit wastes and those from cleaned out grease traps is handled, have introduced new rules and guidance to users, to better supervise the disposal of such wastes. Government has also established additional seawater quality testing, reporting and advisory activities to co-ordinate and monitor improvements.

Householders and other residents are also being asked to contribute to a cleaner environment and incur less likelihood of expensive plumbing bills by adhering to some good practice guidelines to reduce FOG in their homes and workplaces. A very busy booth was operated at the recent Celebrating Wellness event hosted by the Department of Health, where Environmental Health Officers distributed information and advice on FOG reduction to householders.

HOW YOU CAN HELP?

X DO NOT POUR OIL OR GREASE DOWN THE DRAIN

X DO NOT WASH COOKING OIL OR GREASE FROM DISHES, POTS OR PANS DOWN THE SINK

X DO NOT WASH FOOD SCRAPS DOWN THE DRAIN

v DO PLACE COOLED COOKING OIL, GREASE, FAT IN SEALED CONTAINERS AND DISCARD WITH YOUR REGULAR GARBAGE It’s easy to reuse an empty food can to “CAN THE GREASE”

v DO DRY WIPE ALL OIL AND GREASE OFF DISHES, POTS OR PANS WITH A PAPER TOWEL BEFORE WASHING, THEN DISCARD PAPER TOWEL IN TRASH

v DO SCRAPE FOOD SCRAPS FROM DISHES INTO TRASH AND DISPOSE OF PROPERLY

Put your drain on a fat-free diet and help not only your plumbing, but also Bermuda’s environment!