Did You Know Oil and Grease Create Dumpster Hazards?
If you throw trash away in a dumpster outside of a restaurant, at a gas station, or in a parking lot, the area around your dumpster is likely to start filling with oil and grease – which means it’s time to find a dumpster cleaning service before the mess gets out of hand. Grease is harmful to wastewater systems because of its poor solubility in water, and it is frowned upon to pour grease down drains. If large amounts of oil and grease leak into wastewater systems, it is likely to stick to the inside of sewer pipes, which can cause huge problems within properties and on public streets. In addition to potential messes, grease and oil make it especially difficult for water to be fully treated in wastewater treatment plants. However, it’s not necessarily best practice to pour it into a dumpster, either.
Not only do oil and grease make your dumpster pad appear dirty, but oil and grease covered dumpsters are more likely to attract pests like insects and animals. This also creates a safety hazard for employees who must use the dumpster on a daily basis, as oil and grease can cause a dangerous slip-and-fall accidents. Grease-filled dumpsters are also known to be fire hazards and violate health standards for commercial establishments. Luckily, there are a few safe ways to dispose of grease and oil.
The Right Ways to Dispose of Grease and Oil
Finding dumpster cleaning solutions can feel like a dreaded task when you don’t know where to begin. A few cleaning solutions to avoid grease spills include allowing grease and oil to cool before disposing of it, pouring the grease or oil into a disposable container gradually, and securely tying any grease waste in a plastic bag before throwing it into the trash.
You can also choose to recycle grease, which involves straining it to make sure there is no leftover food, storing the grease in a sealed container, and delivering it to a local collection site. Oil and grease can be reused or discarded properly when they are frozen, too. Once the grease is frozen, you can use it to cook again or avoid a mess by handling the grease in a solid, rather than liquid, state.
Avoiding a Restaurant Dumpster Code Violation
At most restaurants, you’ll find a dumpster that is used to collect the restaurant’s food waste, and of course, this includes food grease. However, there are several regulations in place to make sure that restaurant dumpsters don’t violate any health or safety codes. One of the first rules the FDA put in place regarding restaurant dumpsters is that dumpster lids must remain closed. This has to do with the issue of rodents, birds, and other small animals coming in contact with the dumpster. Pests getting into dumpster waste is a cause of many safety issues and disease spread.
Because they are often kept in parking lots, another common issue with restaurant dumpsters is that oil and grease from the dumpster can corrode asphalt. Grease and oil are highly acidic and slippery, so avoiding any leakage in a restaurant parking lot saves restaurant employees and guests from potential danger.
Easy Dumpster Cleaning Services with OPG+
Our research indicates that grease messes are a common problem for most restaurants and other businesses. Find convenient, safe, and eco-friendly dumpster grease cleaning services with OPG+. At OPG+, we offer environmental grease cleanup services for food grease, automotive grease, lubricants, and other messes using an all-natural method that leaves behind nothing but CO2 and water. Learn more about our emergency cleanup services, or request a demo today!
