I recently submitted an article to PM Engineer Magazine asking the question, "is there FOG in food waste?" which was published in the September 2015 issue.
If you would like to read the article as published, click here: http://digital.bnpmedia.com/publication/?i=272248&p=14
I came under some criticism for my position in objecting to having food waste disposers routed directly to sanitary under two proposed changes to the 2018 International Plumbing Code.
This article attempts to explain, based upon very basic research I conducted on the subject, why I believe food waste disposers should be routed through a grease interceptor, by means of a solids interceptor (as the IPC currently requires) to intercept the food waste in order to prevent the solids from prematurely filling up the interceptor.
Those in favor of routing FWDs directly to sanitary have attempted on multiple occasions to make their case. This article simply attempts to present an opposing position for readers to consider.
Please leave a comment below and join the conversation.
The history of how this code change occurred is fascinating, and we all can learn from it!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.pmengineer.com/articles/92024-grease-and-food-waste-are-a-terrible-combination
Hi Ken - Total agreement with direction of IPC. The sanitary drainage system is not the place for garbage of any kind. You have to question the whole application of FWD's particularly in a commercial application. Where is the logic of grinding up your organics, mixing it with water and sending it to a solids interceptor, only to have to empty and re-divert the waste to where it should just have been put in the first place - Organic recycling or garbage? Progressively technology will address this - there is energy value to those organics, 10-15 times the energy value in the FOG specifically and that opportunity is being substantially flushed down the drain? For some that would sound like opportunity for reinvention and innovation, but either way with jurisdictions moving to not approve commercial installations with FWD's, I see the remaining life of them entering their twighlight years.
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