Fats, oils and grease (FOG) blockages increasingly plague pubs and restaurants, either as a result of no grease management in place, or where efforts have been made but FOG management systems installed are inappropriate. The Pelham Arms pub in Lewes is an example of the latter and one that Mechline assisted back in 2016.
The pub’s FOG had caused several sewer blockages and flooding to the surrounding area, which had resulted in the pub facing a substantial water company fine. Despite having fit a grease trap on the request of Southern Water, blockages continued and foul sewage spills arose. Having heard about the merits of GreasePak – Mechline’s bioremediation dosing system – Southern Water contacted Mechline with regards to conducting a year-long trial at the problematic site.
Mechline’s GreasePak is the most powerful and only BBA (British Board of Agrément) approved bioremediation dosing system on the market. It works by employing a powerful bio-enzymatic fluid that breaks down FOG into irreversible simpler compounds, and is discreet, easy to clean and requires very little maintenance.
In May 2016 two GreasePaks were installed for each outlet from the kitchen and staff were trained on how to use and maintain the GreasePaks and guided on kitchen best practise – ‘Stop and think, not down the sink!’ For the duration of the trial Southern Water monitored the sewers via CCTV and on its completion in April 2017 reported that the trial of GreasePak had proven successful. One year on, they revisited the site, where GreasePak remained to keep the sewer free from FOG build-up – two years after installation!
Not only did the GreasePaks prevent FOG blockages, but also resulted in the ‘amnesty’ placed on the pub by Southern Water being lifted. Landlord Andrew Mellor commented, “The cost of running a GreasePak system is very minimal when considering the time saved in maintenance of a traditional system or jetting drains and sewers. (…) The water company are happy with the results, the kitchen team are happy too, which means as a business owner… I am very happy.”
This trial has not only proved GreasePak’s effectiveness in controlling FOG build-up, but highlights the need for operators to select the most appropriate solution for their site, instead of applying an unsuitable option.
