TAMPA, Fla. — Things like oil, grease and "flushable" wipes clump together in our pipes and can grow into massive blockages that eventually clog our city's sewage system.
They're called fatbergs and they're part of the reason Florida is cracking down on food service businesses.
A new state law, which went into effect on July 1, makes it illegal to return grease waste and gray water to grease traps. In other words, restaurants won't be able to dump excess oil into the devices under their sinks that are designed to remove food waste and grease from our wastewater systems.
Instead, the oil will need to be collected by designated grease waste haulers who will take them to the proper disposal facilities.
“Fatbergs pose a big risk to sewers and the people who work in them,” Eric Weiss, director of the City of Tampa’s Wastewater Department, said in a release. “When we have a blockage, waste can back up through pipes, causing major flooding in businesses and homes. That’s why the changes in the state law are so important to maintaining our infrastructure and keeping wastewater services running smoothly.”
Under the new law, grease waste haulers will keep a manifest at each restaurant or commercial kitchen they service for one year. The manifest will document that the grease waste they collect is properly disposed of at certified waste management facilities.
The waste department has a team of four grease management inspectors who will review these manifests during their routine inspections to ensure Tampa's 2,500+ restaurants are complying.
While this new law is mainly affecting restaurants, city leaders say there are things residents can do to help prevent fatbergs from causing raw sewage overflows.
- Don't pour grease down the sink or toilet
- Avoid putting food scraps down the garbage disposal and throw them away instead
- Allow hot oils, sauces and gravies to cool before scraping them into a bag and throwing them in the trash
- Report any sewer overflows you see to the city
Anyone with comments or concerns about what Florida's new grease disposal law will look like in Tampa is asked to join one of the city council public hearings.