Grease Interceptor Rules in Chesterfield County: The 80% Rule, Every-Two-Weeks, Three Years

Who must have one

“All industrial users that generate oil and grease of animal or vegetable origin shall install adequately sized grease interceptors or other grease removing pretreatment equipment as required by the director. Grease interceptors shall be installed at the user’s expense, when such user operates a cooking establishment.” (§18-103(a)(1))

Devices must be “of a type, design, and capacity approved by the Department of Building Inspection of Chesterfield County” and “readily and easily accessible for user cleaning and county inspection” ((b)(1)). Sizing follows the International Plumbing Code and “shall also consider the type of food being prepared, seating capacity, frequency of maintenance, equipments connected to the trap” ((b)(2)(a)). If the menu or seating changes, you must evaluate the size and notify Building Inspection in writing within two weeks ((b)(2)(j)). Garbage disposals and non-grease sources may not connect to it ((b)(2)(i)).

The three numbers

Read the 80% rule carefully

It is a ceiling, not a target. The same section requires you to operate the device “in a manner to consistently achieve attainment of oil and grease limit” — meaning any sample downstream must meet §18-93(b): 300 mg/L for flows under 25,000 gallons a day, 200 mg/L from 25,000 to 50,000, 100 mg/L above that ((b)(2)(h)). An interceptor at 80% is not separating; it is passing grease. The city of Richmond’s program and the industry plan at 25%. We plan Chesterfield kitchens at 25% too, and log the two-week readings the code requires so the file shows you never approached 80.

Also required on site

• A best-management or waste-minimization plan for grease control ((c)(2))
• “A written standard operating procedure for that equipment posted in a location accessible to all operating personnel” ((c)(3))
• Interceptors “kept free of inorganic solid materials such as grit, rocks, gravel, sand, eating utensils, cigarettes, shells, towels, rags” ((b)(2)(d))
• County guidance adds: post “No Grease” signs above sinks and drains

If grease from your kitchen blocks the sewer

“If at any time Chesterfield County’s sewerage system is obstructed that causes a sewer overflow ... and an overflow or failure of the sanitary sewer collection system to convey sewage can be attributed in part or in whole to accumulation of grease in Chesterfield County’s sewer main(s), Chesterfield County will take appropriate enforcement actions ... Industrial user’s shall reimburse the county for all the cost associated with cleaning the sewer system. The industrial user will also be liable for all the damages to the environment, property and personnel.” (§18-103(d)(1))

A kitchen without a device, or with an undersized one, goes on “a compliance schedule not to exceed six months” ((d)(3)). All pretreatment is “at the industrial user’s expense” (§18-97).

Contacts and disposal

Chesterfield Utilities 804-748-1271, utilities@chesterfield.gov; water and wastewater emergencies 804-748-1310. Hauled grease-trap waste is accepted at the Proctors Creek plant in Chester with a detailed manifest per load.

What we do in Chesterfield

Full pump-outs; a receipt written to §18-103(c)(1) with date, gallons, percent-full before service and the hauler; a two-week inspection log sheet for your wall; and, for a new or changed kitchen, the sizing worksheet Building Inspection will want.