Interceptor Emptying
and Recharging

The job of a grease trap or interceptor is to prevent oily and fatty substances from being discharged into drainage systems and thus the surround environment. They are designed to collect such substances from wastewater until they can be removed. In simple terms, a grease trap works by slowing down the flow of (usually warm or hot) greasy water and allowing it to cool. As the water cools, the grease and oil in the water separate out and float to the top of the trap. The cooler water, without the grease and fats, continues to flow down into the drainage system.

Grease traps and interceptors perform the same basic function. The major difference is the scale to which the task is performed – grease traps generally handle a flow rate of less than 50 gallons of wastewater per minute, while interceptors handle larger volumes. M. Gaze is able to clean and recharge any size trap or interceptor.

The average grease trap and interceptor will require emptying and cleaning every one to three months, depending on how quickly the trap collects waste. We recommend using the quarters rule, which determines a trap should be serviced when a quarter of its contents is filled with fats, oils, grease and solids. This is because traps begin to lose effectiveness at this stage, and there is a danger that some of the unwanted substances will escape.