2008 News and Information
Richmond Launches Grease Awareness Program
12 March 2008Did you know every year the food industry in Metro Vancouver produces more than 24 million litres of used cooking oil and grease? Too often, much of this grease is poured down the sink instead of being properly disposed of, which can clog sanitary sewers and adversely impact Richmond’s sensitive estuarine environment. In Richmond alone, the cost of removing grease plugs from sanitary sewers is over $300,000 a year, while Metro Vancouver spends over $800,000 a year cleaning grease clogged drains, sewer pipes and pump stations in the region.
“Acts such as rinsing a frying pan in the sink before scraping off the grease or pouring leftover grease down the sink has a cumulative effect, eventually clogging drains and impacting our wildlife,” explains Jim Young, Manager Engineering Design & Construction. “Cooking grease and oil that is poured down our sinks ultimately travels to the Fraser River Estuary which supports the largest population of over-wintering birds in all of Canada and is the gateway to the Fraser River, one of the world’s largest salmon rivers.”
Oil that makes its way into the river, can decrease the insulating capacity of bird feathers, which can cause hypothermia and may prevent the exchange of oxygen crucial for fish survival.
In March 2007, Council passed the Sanitary Sewer System and Drainage System Bylaw that came into effect on January 1, 2008. Under this bylaw, any person found to be illegally discharging grease into City sewers will be subject to progressive fines of $100, $500 or $1,000. To help businesses understand how to properly dispose and store used grease, the City is launching a grease awareness program.
This spring, a dedicated grease bylaw inspector is being hired who will visit businesses in Richmond, providing owners with information on how to properly dispose of cooking oils and grease. The inspector will be looking at businesses’ grease collection systems to determine if they are properly disposing of grease. If not, the inspector will further educate the business on how to dispose of and store used grease and oil and schedule a second inspection with an aim to proactively and appropriately dispose of grease.
Although the initial program is targeted to the food industry, all Richmond residents can do their part to properly dispose of grease. At present, the best way to dispose of cooled cooking grease is putting it in a plastic container and disposing of it with their regular garbage. Residents can also go online to find a recycling company that may recycle grease.
