A workable fats, oils, and grease (FOG) program starts with daily source control and then adapts to the rules for the facility's address. This checklist separates broadly useful kitchen practices from legal requirements that differ by city, county, sewer utility, province, and state.
What federal guidance does—and does not—establish
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's September 2012 FOG fact sheet explains that federal pretreatment rules prohibit discharges of solid or viscous pollutants in amounts that cause sewer obstruction. It also explains that local publicly owned treatment works develop controls for their systems and that food-service establishments can use BMPs and interception equipment.
The EPA fact sheet does not create one nationwide restaurant pumping interval, 25% rule, manifest form, record period, approved-hauler rule, or staff-training cadence. Those details must be checked locally.
Daily FOG source-control checklist
- Scrape food scraps into the facility's approved solid-waste or organics stream before washing.
- Dry-wipe visible grease from cookware, utensils, and dishes before they enter sinks or dishwashers.
- Use sink screens or strainers where the local authority and equipment setup allow them, and empty captured solids into the approved waste stream.
- Keep used cooking oil in the designated container with its lid closed; do not pour it into sinks, floor drains, toilets, storm drains, or grease interceptors.
- Clean spills promptly using the workplace's spill and safety procedure. Keep outdoor oil-storage areas orderly and prevent leakage from reaching stormwater.
- Keep required interceptor covers in place and report loose, damaged, or unsafe covers immediately.
- Report slow drains, backups, persistent odors, visible leaks, or an unusually fast accumulation pattern to the manager rather than improvising a repair.
Manager and owner checklist
- Identify the controlling authorities. Start with the wastewater or sewer utility for the service address, then check applicable health, plumbing, building, environmental, fire, and workplace-safety requirements.
- Record the actual rule. Keep the permit, ordinance or program document that controls the device type, cleaning trigger, service method, hauler eligibility, records, reporting, and inspections.
- Use the accepted service trigger. Do not copy another city's percentage or calendar interval. Combine the local requirement with site measurements and the device manufacturer's current instructions.
- Verify the service provider. If the local program requires a permit, licence, registration, or approved carrier, confirm it with that authority for the exact provider.
- Keep complete service records. Preserve manifests, invoices, logs, inspection reports, notices, photographs, and corrective-action records for the period your authority requires.
- Train for the work employees actually perform. Cover source control, spill response, hot-oil safety, warning signs, record entries, and the boundary between kitchen work and specialist maintenance.
Why local verification matters
| Official example | Current requirement shown by that source | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Austin Water | Pump at least every 90 days, or sooner when grease and solids reach 50% of wetted height; use a permitted liquid-waste hauler; retain manifests onsite for three years. | Austin Water service area—not a national rule. |
| Fairfax County, Virginia | Clean before grease and solids reach 25%; the county describes both self-cleaning and permitted-contractor routes; records must be available for three years. | Fairfax County program. |
| Toronto, Ontario | The City's code of practice directs food-service establishments to its own installation, maintenance, kitchen-practice, training, and spill-response requirements. | City of Toronto requirements. |
| Florida DEP | Florida's grease-waste program uses service manifests and distinguishes licensed haulers from qualifying self-cleaners. | Florida statewide program, alongside local rules. |
Questions to ask the serving authority
- Which permit, ordinance, bylaw, or program applies to this address and device?
- What measurement or calendar limit triggers service, and can the authority approve an alternate schedule?
- Who may clean, pump, transport, or receive the waste?
- Is a manifest or electronic report required, and who must sign or receive it?
- Which records must stay onsite, in what format, and for how long?
- What training, signage, inspection, spill-reporting, or sampling rules apply?
Related GTL guides
- Grease trap manifests: what they record and when they apply
- Grease trap record keeping: a location-aware guide
- Kitchen staff FOG training and safety boundaries
Frequently asked questions
Is the 25% rule a national requirement?
No. Some local programs use a 25% trigger, while Austin currently uses 50% of wetted height together with a 90-day maximum. Follow the authority serving the facility.
Must every restaurant use a licensed grease hauler?
No universal rule was found. Some programs require permitted or approved haulers; others describe limited self-cleaning routes. Confirm the device, waste volume, transport, and local authorization before any self-service.
How often should staff receive FOG training?
Use the cadence required locally and retrain when duties, equipment, procedures, or rules change. For example, San Clemente publishes a twice-yearly employee training log, but that cadence is not a nationwide rule.
Does following this checklist guarantee compliance?
No. It is general operational guidance. Compliance depends on the current requirements for the facility, its equipment, and its actual practices.
General information only: This page is not legal, engineering, environmental, or workplace-safety advice. Confirm requirements with the authority serving the facility and qualified professionals for the work.
Official sources
- U.S. EPA — Controlling FOG Discharges from Food Service Establishments (September 2012)
- Austin Water — Grease Trap Maintenance
- Fairfax County — Fats, Oils and Grease
- City of Toronto — Food Service Establishment Environmental Code of Practice
- Florida DEP — Grease Waste
Fact-checked August 12, 2026. Government guidance and local rules can change; recheck the authority serving the facility before relying on any requirement.
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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