Reviewed August 9, 2026 · This page explains federal context and local-control questions. It does not set a cleaning schedule, approve a product, or replace the rule for a specific facility.
What FOG means in a food-service setting
FOG stands for fats, oils, and grease. EPA distinguishes between yellow grease—used cooking oil and waste greases separated and collected at the point of use—and grease-trap waste captured on site. The local wastewater program and the facility’s approved process determine how each stream must be handled.
EPA’s 2007 FOG fact sheet, citing a 2004 report to Congress, says grease from restaurant, home, and industrial sources was the most common cause of 47% of reported blockages. That historical statistic is about reported blockages; it is not a claim that FOG causes 47% of all sewer overflows, and it does not establish a rule for an individual kitchen.
Why local requirements control the answer
In the United States, federal pretreatment standards prohibit discharges that cause Pass Through or Interference, as those terms are defined in the rules. They also prohibit solid or viscous pollutants in amounts that obstruct flow in a publicly owned treatment works and result in Interference. EPA explains that local limits address the particular needs of a wastewater utility, its collection system, its workers, and receiving waters. Those limits can be numeric or narrative and can include best management practices.
For an operator, that means a generic article cannot determine whether a device is required, which device is approved, how it must be connected, what records are required, or when service is due. Confirm those points with the wastewater authority serving the facility’s address and the equipment documentation for the actual installed model.
Food preparation and collection
Identify where used cooking oil and grease-trap waste arise in the operation. Keep the local authority’s instructions for collection, storage, transfer, and disposal with the facility’s operating records.
Source-control procedures
Use written practices that match the local program and the kitchen’s own workflow. EPA identifies best management practices as one available control tool, but a national page should not promise a fixed performance result from any one practice.
Installed grease-control equipment
Confirm the equipment’s manufacturer, model, approved connections, and operating instructions. Equipment terminology, location, rating, and design are not interchangeable across products or jurisdictions.
Changes need a check
Before changing a menu, fixtures, equipment, additives, service arrangement, or disposal process, ask whether the local program, approval, or manufacturer documentation requires a review.
Use federal sources at the right level
Federal sources provide the wastewater context: preventing pass-through and interference (including interference caused by obstruction), and allowing local programs to establish controls. They do not create one nationwide cleaning interval, percentage trigger, cost, fine, permit, or equipment chart for all food-service businesses.
Where to go next
For a non-prescriptive overview of grease control and local documentation, see the commercial-kitchen grease-control overview. For a focused explanation of separation principles, read how a grease-control device works. If the question is which terminology or equipment category applies, use grease interceptor vs. grease trap and confirm the result with the local authority.
Frequently asked questions
Does EPA say FOG causes 47% of all sewer overflows?
No. EPA’s 2007 fact sheet, citing a 2004 report, says grease from restaurant, home, and industrial sources was the most common cause of 47% of reported blockages. That is not the same as saying FOG caused 47% of all sewer overflows.
Does federal law require one grease-control setup for every food business?
No. In the United States, federal pretreatment standards prohibit discharges that cause Pass Through or Interference, as those terms are defined in the rules, including solid or viscous pollutants that obstruct flow and result in Interference, while wastewater utilities establish local limits and best management practices for their own systems. The local program and facility approval control the requirements for a specific address.
What is the difference between yellow grease and grease-trap waste?
EPA describes yellow grease as used cooking oil and waste greases separated and collected at the point of use. It identifies grease-trap waste as a separate category of FOG captured on site. Follow the local program and approved collection or disposal process for the facility.
Can this guide approve an additive or change a cleaning schedule?
No. This page does not approve chemicals, additives, service methods, or schedules. Check the local wastewater program and the current documentation for the installed equipment before making an operating change.
Official sources reviewed
Author: Grease Trap Locator Editorial Team
The Grease Trap Locator editorial team covers FOG compliance, grease trap maintenance, and commercial kitchen regulations across the US and Canada. Our guides are written for restaurant owners, facility managers, and food service operators who need practical, accurate information without the fluff.
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