[Adopted 2-17-2004 by Ord. No. 964 (Ch. 18, Part 4, of the 2006 Code of Ordinances)]
Unless otherwise expressly stated or necessarily implied, the following words and phrases shall be construed throughout this article to have the meaning indicated in this article. The present tense includes the future, the singular number includes the plural, and the plural the singular:
BOROUGH
The Borough of Folcroft, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, or its assigned representative, including the Borough Engineer or Borough Solicitor.
FATS, OILS and GREASES
Organic polar compounds derived from animal and/or plant sources that contain multiple carbon chain triglyceride molecules. These substances are detectable and measurable using analytical test procedures established in 40 CFR 136, as may be amended from time to time. All are sometimes referred to herein as "grease" or "greases."
FOOD SERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS
Those establishments primarily engaged in activities or preparing, serving, or otherwise making available for consumption by such as a restaurant, commercial kitchen, caterer, hotel, school, hospital, prison, correctional facility, and care institution. These establishments use one or more of the following preparation activities: cooking by frying (all methods), baking (all methods), grilling, sauteing, rotisserie cooking, broiling (all methods), boiling, blanching, roasting, toasting, or poaching. Also included are infrared heating, searing, barbecuing, and any other food preparation activity that produces a hot, nondrinkable food product in or a receptacle that requires washing.
GRAB SAMPLE
A sample that is taken from a waste stream without regard to the flow in the waste stream and over a period of time not to exceed 15 minutes.
GREASE INTERCEPTOR
A structure or passive device designed for the purpose of removing and preventing fats, oils, and grease from entering the sanitary sewer collection system. These devices are often below-ground units located outside the building and are built as two or three chamber-baffled tanks having a rated flow exceeding 50 gpm (189 L/m).
GREASE-LADEN WASTEWATER
Effluent discharge that is produced from food processing, food preparation or other source where grease, fats and oils enter automatic dishwasher pre-rinse stations, sinks or other appurtenances.
GREASE TRAP
A passive interceptor device having a rated flow 50 gpm (189 L/m) or less for separating and retaining waterborne greases and grease complexes prior to the wastewater exiting the trap and entering the sanitary sewer collection and treatment system. Such traps are typically compact under the sink units that are near food preparation areas and are located inside the building.
MINIMUM DESIGN CAPABILITY
The design features of a grease interceptor and its ability or volume required to effectively intercept and retain greases from grease-laden wastewaters discharged to the public sanitary sewer.
SAMPLING PORT
A location in the collection system that will allow a homogeneous wastewater sample to be collected.
USER
Any person or corporation, including those located outside the corporate limits of Folcroft Borough, who contributes, causes or permits the contribution of discharge of wastewater into sewers within the Borough's boundaries, including persons who contribute such wastewater from mobile sources, such as those who discharge hauled wastewater.
A. 
No user shall discharge any wastewater whose total content of oils, waxes, and greases of mineral, petroleum, or unknown origin exceeds 100 ppm at any time as shown by grab sample, or undergoes any form of phase separation due to temperature differentials which involve solid or viscous substances which could impair the sewer systems of Folcroft Borough. The Borough may reduce the above concentration where it demonstrated that the concentration is causing chronic or adverse effects to the collection system.
B. 
No user shall discharge or allow any discharges which settle or adhere to a collector pipe causing a reduction of normal collector hydraulic capacity, obstruct flow, cause premature failure and/or loss of integrity of any component of collection and conveyance systems of the Borough or prevent various equipment from functioning as intended. Such materials include, but are not limited to, grease, garbage, or other bulk solids with particles greater than 1/2 inch in any dimension, guts or tissues, paunch, manure, bones, hair, hides or fleshing, entrails, whole blood, blood products, feathers, ashes, cinders, sand, spent lime, paint, stone or marble dust, metal, glass, straw, shavings, grass clippings, rags, spent grains, spent hops, wastepaper, wood, rubber, plastics, gas tar, asphalt, asphalt residues, residues from refining or processing of fuel or lubrication oil, mud, or glass or metal filing or polishing wastes or any material which can be disposed of as solid waste.
C. 
No non-grease-laden sources are allowed to be connected to sewer lines intended for grease interceptor service and under no circumstances shall water be added to any wastewater to dilute the wastewater concentration to acceptable levels.
D. 
No user shall contribute any wastewater, which causes a hazard to human life or creates a public nuisance, to the wastewater system.
A. 
All permits food service establishments are required to install, operate, and maintain an approved type and adequately sized grease interceptor necessary to maintain compliance with the objectives of this article, as described in Subsections B, C, and D below. All grease interceptors must meet the requirements of the International Plumbing Code.
B. 
All new food service establishment facilities are subject to grease interceptor requirements. All facilities must obtain approval from the Borough for grease interceptor sizing prior to submitting plans for a building permit. All grease interceptors shall be readily and easily accessible for user cleaning and Borough inspection.
C. 
All existing facilities with planned plumbing improvements or modifications in plumbing, with a building permit valuation of $20,000 or more, will be required to include plans to comply with the grease interceptor requirements. These facilities must obtain prior approval from the Borough for grease interceptor sizing to submitting plans for a building permit.
D. 
All existing food service establishments, determined by the Borough to have a reasonable potential to adversely impact the Borough's sewer system will be notified of their obligation to install a grease interceptor within the specified period set forth in the notification letter.
E. 
Grease interceptors and alternative pretreatment technologies.
(1) 
Grease interceptors required under this article shall be installed unless the Borough authorizes the installation of an indoor grease trap or other alternative pretreatment technology and determines that the installations of a grease interceptor would not be feasible. The food service establishment bears the burden of demonstrating that the installation of a grease interceptor is not feasible. The Borough may authorize the installation of an indoor grease trap where the installation of a grease interceptor is not feasible due to space constraints or other considerations. If an establishment believes the installation of a grease interceptor is infeasible, because of documented space constraints, the request for an alternate grease removal device shall contain the following information, at a minimum:
(a) 
Location of sewer main and easement in relation to available exterior space outside of the building.
(b) 
Existing plumbing at or in a site that uses common plumbing for all services at that site.
(2) 
Alternative pretreatment technology includes, but is not limited to, devices that are used to trap, separate and hold grease from wastewater and prevent it from being discharged into the sanitary sewer collection system. All alternative pretreatment technology must be appropriately sized and approved by the Borough.
No user shall allow wastewater discharge concentrations from subject grease interceptor, grease trap or alternative pretreatment technology to exceed 325 mg/L, as defined by EPA Test Method 1664 or 275 mg/L as identified by EPA Test Method 413.
A. 
All grease interceptors must be approved by the Borough prior to installation to ensure that the interceptor meets appropriate sizing requirements, construction standards, and conforms to the International Plumbing Code.
B. 
Grease interceptors shall be constructed in accordance with a design approved by the Borough and shall have a minimum of two compartments with a baffle system, which adequately diverts and slows wastewater to avoid short-circuiting. Fittings shall also be designed for grease retention.
C. 
Grease interceptors shall be installed at a location easily assessable for inspection, cleaning, and removal of intercepted grease. The grease interceptor may not be installed in any part of the building where food is handled. Location of the grease interceptor must meet the prior approval of the Borough.
D. 
Grease interceptors shall be serviced and emptied of accumulated waste content as required in order to maintain minimum design capability or effective volume. These devices should be inspected at least monthly and cleaned at a minimum of every three months with cleaning frequency best established at any given installation from experience and observation. Users who are required to maintain a grease interceptor shall:
(1) 
Provide for minimum hydraulic retention time of 30 minutes at actual peak wastewater flow in accordance with the International Plumbing Code.
(2) 
Remove any accumulated grease cap and sludge pocket as required, but at intervals of not longer than 30 days at the user's expense. 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 this pocket and thereby reduce the effective volume of the device and lead to short-circuiting.
E. 
The user shall maintain a written record of inspection and maintenance for five years. All such records shall be made available for on-site inspection by representative of the Borough during all operating hours.
F. 
Access manholes, with a minimum diameter of 24 inches, shall be provided over each grease interceptor chamber and sanitary tee. The access manholes shall extend at least to finish and be designed and maintained to prevent water inflow or infiltration. The manholes shall also have removable covers to facilitate inspection, grease removal, and wastewater sampling activities.
A. 
Upon approval by the Borough, a grease trap complying with the provisions of this section must 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 can effect line stoppage or hinder sewage treatment or private sewage disposal.
B. 
Grease trap sizing and installation shall conform to the International Plumbing Code.
C. 
No grease trap shall be installed which has a stated rate flow-through of more then 50 gallons per minute, or less than four gallons per minute, except when specially approved by the Borough.
D. 
Grease traps shall be maintained in efficient operating conditions by periodic removal of the accumulated grease. Accumulated grease can be disposed of by recycling, rendering or land application. Under no circumstances should collected grease be introduced into any drainage piping, or public or private sewer.
E. 
No food waste disposal unit or dishwasher shall be connected to or discharge into any grease trap.
F. 
Wastewater in excess of 140° F. (60° C.) shall not be discharged into a grease trap.
[Amended 11-21-2006 by Ord. No. 990]
A. 
The cost of fat, oil and grease removal shall be at the expense of the user, not the Borough.
B. 
All nonresidential users shall provide sampling ports readily accessible to the Borough.
C. 
The user is responsible for the cost of cleaning, disposal, and monitoring of any substance collected in the process of pretreatment.
D. 
Each owner that is required to install a grease trap or interceptor shall provide the Borough with a sketch plan showing the location of the interceptor and cleanout/inspection port type and manufacturer of the interceptor.
E. 
The Borough shall have the ability to issue fines and impose other sanctions, including but not limited to all costs to remedy a situation or termination of service if the requirements of this article are not met after one notice has been issued.
F. 
Any person, firm or corporation that owns or operates any establishment with a grease trap or similar device is required to demonstrate to the Health Officer or applicable inspecting party that the grease trap (or similar device) has been cleaned by a third party. Applicable methods to demonstrate the proper removal of grease is by paid-in-full bill, signed contract or any other method acceptable to the Health Officer or applicable inspecting party. At a minimum, the documentation must demonstrate appropriate removal and disposal techniques. Failure to provide appropriate documentation will result in a penalty as stated in § 480-5.