Overview
Prior to the introduction of their FOG program, the City of London was experiencing significant blockages and overflows which were polluting local water sources, and 80% of the city’s food businesses were non-compliant. Over ten years on, the city has implemented a successful program working with businesses, haulers, and across departments to save their sewers and over $100,000 per year.
Key Takeaways:
- London started their program in 2008 because they found 40% of blockages and overflows were related to FOG
- Annual cleaning of wet wells was costing $20,000 a year
- Discovered a lot of illegal dumping into drains eg. food vendors at festivals using storm drains to dispose of greywater
- Fryer oil being dumped into drains which flow into creeks and rivers – $9000 clean up
- The city of London enforces a by-law – allows 100mg/liter to be discharged and has CSA standard on how to maintain GCD (every 4 weeks or more often); the site is liable and can be fined; have prosecuted offenders – not necessarily what they want to do, they’d prefer to work with FSEs
- When the program started, 80% were non-compliant, mostly because they didn’t have a GCD