Cooking Oil Removal - Illegal?

[Windows R Us]

We have been asked to degrease a very dirty restaurant service entrance. It is a Chinese restaurant that has a lot of cooking oil and grease on the concrete that I guess leaks out of the trash when they take it out. Since this isn't motor oil, gasoline or other auto fluid, would waste water reclamation still apply? I'm pretty sure that the grease is all food based, as the concrete is never driven on.

I'll check with local authorities, but I just thought I'd see if anyone else has feedback or experience with this.

 

[TLC Sweeping]

Well the EPA guidlines say NO WATER DOWN STORM DRAINS Period, unless it is rain, I'm not sure what part on the siewalks your talking about is it in an enclosure that has a oil sep drain or a sidewalk with gutters that lead to a storm drain ? Veg Oil is no different then Motor Oil as far as their concerned.

 

[David Saulque]

TLC is right-PW the area and vacuum and place down the sanitary drain (sink/mop sink). I would not even call and ask the question if I were you.[wsmile]

 

[Windows R Us]

vaccuum

I'm pretty sure that it is a stretch of sidewalk along the side of the building where they take the grease from the kitchen to another door which probably contains the grease trap. Really nasty looking area, I definitely wouldn't eat there!

We have a portable vacuum extractor for indoor tile and grout cleaning. It has an automatic pump out to empty the vacuum tank. Will it hurt the pump out pump to have greasy water run through it? We run dirty water and chemicals through it all the time.

 

[TLC Sweeping]

I have a place that wanted me to give them a Quote on there sidewalks and the back walks are so dirty that it will be a real pain to clean, the sidewalks and parking lot have a real steep grade right to a storm drain onlt 20 feet or so away and to do this job you will have to use some strong chems. The problem is they don't want to pay much to do the job I guess thats why it is as bad as it is. I'm not even going to bother doing it as all they want is for me to do it for free LOL and with all I have to do in picking up the mess it is just not worth it, This stuff cost money and I won't do it for free. I'm sure sooner or later they will get caught letting it go like they have and will call me or someone else to clean it up but by then it will be a 100 times as bad and cost a lot more then it will now.

 

[Windows R Us]

I have a place that wanted me to give them a Quote on there sidewalks and the back walks are so dirty that it will be a real pain to clean, the sidewalks and parking lot have a real steep grade right to a storm drain onlt 20 feet or so away and to do this job you will have to use some strong chems. The problem is they don't want to pay much to do the job I guess thats why it is as bad as it is. I'm not even going to bother doing it as all they want is for me to do it for free LOL and with all I have to do in picking up the mess it is just not worth it, This stuff cost money and I won't do it for free. I'm sure sooner or later they will get caught letting it go like they have and will call me or someone else to clean it up but by then it will be a 100 times as bad and cost a lot more then it will now.

Yeah I know the feeling! The worst part about this place is that there is a walk up where customers can pick up take out orders right by the nasty greasy sidewalk! You actually have to walk on it to pick up food. I'm starting to think it may difficult to get paid enough to make it worth dealing with the messy clean up.

 

[Christopher]

Good answer about the "Nothing But Rain Down The Drain".

That should answer all your questions about what goes down the drain, if you are not sure about something, read up about the CWA or Clean Water Act or call up your local EPA or Stormwater Person.

If they do not want to pay your prices, don't lowball or be the lowbidder or hack as that drives prices down and you immediately become the local price whor*. We try hard to keep rates up there so we make a profit to stay in business so we will be around later on and grow.

If they do not want to pay, sooner or later when they have a slip and fall accident and the ambulance chasing attorneys go to the scene and take a lot of pictures and video of how the place looks, either the health dept or their insurance company will make them clean it or close their doors.

It sucks that something bad usually has to happen for things to be done but that is some people's mentality these days as a lot of people do not understand or believe in Preventive Maintenance.

 

[TLC Sweeping]

The funny part is the manager want me to give him bids, OK I did say BIDS lol he want three different ones as in breaking down the sidewalk into two bids then bidding on the dumpster enclosuer as one more bid what this tells me is they don't want to pay anything and I was not going to give three bids for one job as all of it is nasty. So I never bothered to waste my time on it. Their parking lot is real dirty too and I asked about Sweeping it and the manager said we do it ourselfs right then I knew they were not going to spend a dime on cleaning anything. I won't be long before the health dept. sees this Greasy mess and makes them clen it up. I know I won't be eatting there anytime soon

With the cost of fuel it is not worth giving stuff away and having a big mess to deal with, I say bid high and if they don't want it OH WELL move on to where your not getting involved with a EPA Problem for no money to pay for your costs and headaches.