Grease Trap Regulations in Nova Scotia

Overview

Nova Scotia handles grease trap rules at the municipal level. The province does not run a single FOG programme. Food service kitchens that cook, process, or prepare food must install a grease interceptor. That covers restaurants, cafeterias, hotel kitchens, and similar food-handling sites. Halifax Water leads enforcement with the most detailed rules. The other big municipalities — Cape Breton, Yarmouth, and Trenton — run their own bylaws. Provincial oversight sits with the Department of Environment and Climate Change. The department sets wastewater discharge limits and broader environmental rules that apply across the province under the Environment Act (SNS 1994-95 c.1). Operators in Nova Scotia therefore have to follow both their local sewer bylaw and provincial discharge standards.

Governing Authorities

The Department of Environment and Climate Change keeps the province's environmental laws current and protects public health under the provincial Environment Act (SNS 1994-95 c.1). The department also handles wastewater approvals and broader permitting. The federal anchor is the Fisheries Act (RSC 1985, c. F-14) §36(3) plus the Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations (SOR/2012-139) — SOR/2012-139 — which set national effluent standards that apply above all local rules. At the local level, Halifax Water enforces pretreatment rules under Section 70 of the Grease Interceptor Standards and Requirements (DS15). Halifax Water has the most detailed FOG rules of any utility in the province. Other municipalities run their own sewer bylaws. These include Cape Breton Regional Municipality, the Town of Yarmouth, and the Town of Trenton. Each bylaw sets local cleaning intervals, sizing rules, and enforcement steps. Local enforcement officers inspect food service kitchens to check compliance with the local discharge rules. Operators outside Halifax should pull a copy of their own town or municipal bylaw before they install or service an interceptor.

Key Requirements

Food service kitchens across Nova Scotia must follow these grease interceptor rules:

• Clean the grease interceptor every month, or sooner if grease and solids reach 25% of the tank volume.
• Keep records of cleaning, maintenance, and oil and grease disposal for two years.
• Do not use enzymes, bacteria, solvents, hot water, or other agents to push oil and grease through the interceptor into the sewer.
• Remove trapped material by pumping or other physical means. Haul the recovered material away and dispose of it under the rules that apply.
• Hydromechanical grease interceptors (HGI) must carry a visible certification label showing they meet ASME A112.14.3:2022 / CSA B481.1:2022 — the joint, harmonized standard for hydromechanical grease interceptors — per Halifax Water DS15. Gravity grease interceptors (GGI) must meet IAPMO/ANSI Z1001.

Yarmouth sets a stricter cleaning rule. The town requires service no less than every four weeks.

Fines and Enforcement

Failing to clean the interceptor every month, or when it hits 25% full, breaks Halifax Water's Rules and Regulations. So does failing to provide cleaning logs on request. Public sources do not list a fixed fine schedule for FOG violations in Nova Scotia. The province uses administrative penalties and court action when needed. Administrative penalties cover failures to meet the terms of an approval issued by the province. The government runs that process, not the courts. The agency that issued the approval is the one that handles the penalty.

Other consequences include corrective-action directives, ongoing monitoring, and disconnection from the municipal sewer. A directive can require a kitchen to fix the issue within a set time. Inspectors from the Department of Environment and Climate Change and from local utilities can enter facilities. They can run unscheduled inspections after a complaint or a suspected violation. Inspectors typically ask to see cleaning logs, hauler manifests, and the interceptor itself.

Major City FOG Programmes

Halifax Regional Municipality

Any business with a valid Food Establishment Permit must install a grease interceptor. Halifax's Pollution Prevention team inspects restaurants and other food service kitchens. The team checks compliance with the Building Code Act, Building Code Regulations, and CSA and ASME standards. Halifax Water's Section 70 rules (DS15) set sizing based on drainage fixture units. They require monthly cleaning, or sooner if the interceptor reaches 25% full. Operators must keep maintenance records on file for the past two years. Records should include cleaning dates, the hauler used, and the volume of waste removed. Halifax Water publishes the Grease Interceptor Standards and Requirements (DS15) with detailed design standards for both gravity and hydromechanical units. The document is the first reference for new builds and major kitchen renovations in the Halifax service area.

Cape Breton Regional Municipality

Cape Breton Regional Municipality is the second-largest in Nova Scotia. It has roughly 94,000 residents per the 2021 Census of Canada. CBRM runs the wastewater system, including grease interceptor oversight for the food service kitchens in the region. CBRM Council oversees all municipal services, including water and wastewater. Food service kitchens must meet local wastewater discharge rules. The exact FOG programme details vary by municipality and run through local inspection. Operators in CBRM should contact the local wastewater office before installing or replacing an interceptor.

Town of Yarmouth

Yarmouth enforces grease interceptor rules under its Sewer Discharge Bylaw. All oil and grease interceptors must be maintained per the manufacturer's instructions and meet CAN/CSA B-481. Operators must clean traps before organic material and solids exceed twenty-five percent of the available volume. They must also clean at least every four weeks, no matter the fill level. The bylaw requires maintenance records and bans chemical agents that try to dissolve grease. The four-week minimum makes Yarmouth one of the strictest local jurisdictions in Nova Scotia for cleaning frequency.

Town of Trenton

Trenton runs a wastewater discharge bylaw that requires grease interceptors for commercial food service kitchens. No retained or trapped oil, grease, or sediment may pass from the interceptor into the wastewater system. Qualified inspectors check compliance through site visits. Operators must keep maintenance records for every installed unit. The bylaw applies to every commercial kitchen in town.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often must I clean my grease trap in Nova Scotia?

In most Nova Scotia municipalities, you must clean grease interceptors every month. You must also clean as soon as the combined grease and solids layer reaches 25% of total volume — whichever comes first. Yarmouth tightens that schedule. The town requires service at least every four weeks, no matter the fill level. Keep detailed cleaning records for at least two years as proof of compliance during inspections.

Can I use enzymes or chemicals to break down grease in my interceptor?

No. Nova Scotia bans enzymes, bacteria, solvents, hot water, and any chemical agent meant to dissolve grease or move it through the interceptor into the sewer. You must remove grease physically. That means pumping by a licensed hauler. Disposal must follow provincial and municipal rules. Using a banned product can lead to enforcement action.

What certifications does my grease trap need to meet?

In Halifax and most Nova Scotia municipalities, hydromechanical grease interceptors must be certified to ASME A112.14.3:2022 / CSA B481.1:2022 — the joint, harmonized standard for hydromechanical grease interceptors. Gravity grease interceptors must meet IAPMO/ANSI Z1001. Halifax Water's DS15 lists both HGI and GGI standards. The certification label must be visible on the unit. Inspectors check that label during site visits. Contact your local wastewater authority for sizing and certification details before installation.

Find Grease Trap Service in Nova Scotia

Our directory lists 6 qualified grease trap service providers serving communities across Nova Scotia. These licensed haulers handle routine maintenance, emergency pumping, and compliance documentation. They can help your kitchen meet provincial and municipal FOG rules. Find a certified grease trap service provider in Nova Scotia to schedule your next cleaning or to plan interceptor sizing for a new build.