Too much Olive Oil in septic system

[Horaz]

Does anyone know how to filter or keep Olive Oil from getting to the leach field of a septic system? A Mass. Title V septic system (3,000+/- GPD, pumped to a chamber leach system) has completely failed after 8 years. It would seem the Olive Oil (used in every dish at this restaurant) is making it's way past the grease trap, past the Septic tank and is being pumped to the leach field. Anyone know of any filters or treatment that could help? Any help or direction to some info is welcome.

 

[Pump2005]

I don't think municipalities allow cooking oils to be dumped directly into the sewer,even a septic system. They need to put the used oil in some kind of container and have it properly disposed of. It also sounds like they aren't cleaning the grease trap regularly or at all. Any kind of oil leaching into the soil sounds like a major DEP violation. Stop the restaurant from dumping the oil down the drain, stop the problem.

 

[Horaz]

Thanks for the post. True, the 1,000 gallon grease trap may not have been maintained as well as it should but there is available pumping records showing some maintenance. I've been told the Olive Oil, in particular, tends to remain suspended longer than typical grease. Which may have contributed. If there is no obvious way to cut down on the Olive Oil from getting to the SAS, we may propose an indoor unit at the rinse station for additional grease removal. As well as continue to ensure proper grease trap maintenance.

 

[bimr]

One would think that you are going to have to do housecleaning.

You are going to have to review the operating procedures in the restaurant. In the best case, the capacity of the septic system is limited and you need to reduce the load going to the septic system.

Review procedures to make sure no food waste is going to the septic system. That means that the restaurant will have to operate differently than the practices at other restaurants. That means procedures like no garbage disposals, high efficiency applicances that limit water use, no dumping of waste oils down the sink, etc.

 

[kenvlach]

I think your best shot to get things operational at low cost is one of the grease-eating microbe products.
DrainGel

http://www.bio-systems.com/DrainGelInfo.htm

EPIZYM-DT LIQUID Drain and Grease Trap Cleaner,
EPIZYM-ST Septic & RV Tank Treatment

http://www.epicorebionet.com/cleaning.htm

Accepta 7101, 7111, 7112 & &7141: Septic tank reactivation, industrial grease traps, Bio-degradation of oil/grease - sewer lines, Grease trap and drainage cleaner.

http://www.accepta.com/subcat.asp?cat=600&scat=0

Drainbo® Natural Drain Cleaner and Grease Trap Treatment,
Drainbo® Natural Septic System Treatment

http://www.drainbo.com/commercial.html

These are just a few. For more, just Google.

http://www.google.com/search?source...G:2006-41,GGLG:en&q=biological+cleaner+grease

 

[Horaz]

Thanks for your assistance. I think a combination of restaurant procedures, a pretreatment unit, and proper maintanence of septic tanks will all need to be considered to properly maintain this system given the use.

 

[kenvlach]

Please let us know how things turn out. Would like to know whether having resident microbes in grease traps & septic tanks work as well as claimed.

 

[Ussuri]

Send in Popeye.

 

[looksatstars]

haha - took me a second.