San Francisco Grease Trap Requirements for Restaurants

San Francisco Local Grease Trap Regulations

San Francisco's Department of Public Health enforces the SF Health Code Article 97B, which mandates grease trap maintenance more frequently than most California cities. All food service establishments must install and maintain grease traps or grease interceptors with minimum capacity based on fixture unit counts. SF requires cleaning records to be kept on-site for inspection and mandates quarterly inspections for high-volume facilities. Facilities must use only licensed, certified grease disposal companies. Violations can result in fines up to $500 per day and potential closure orders if the facility creates a public nuisance through improper grease discharge.

California State Plumbing Code vs. Federal Standards

California's Title 24 (California Plumbing Code) sets baseline grease interceptor sizing requirements that San Francisco builds upon with stricter enforcement. Federal EPA regulations focus on pretreatment standards under the Clean Water Act but do not dictate specific maintenance schedules—California and SF do. San Francisco's local standards are more stringent because the city's combined sewer system (which handles both stormwater and wastewater) is vulnerable to blockages from grease buildup. While federal agencies like the EPA oversee water quality, SF's Department of Public Health and Public Utilities Commission enforce local discharge limits and mandate monthly to quarterly cleaning for restaurants.

Maintenance Schedules and Compliance Documentation

SF restaurants must establish a maintenance schedule based on their establishment type and volume of grease-producing activities. High-volume facilities (commercial kitchens, fryers) typically require cleaning every 3–6 weeks, while lower-volume operations may comply with quarterly cleaning. All cleaning must be performed by SF-certified haulers who remove grease waste and dispose of it legally. Restaurants must maintain signed cleaning logs with dates, volumes removed, and hauler credentials. SF inspectors verify compliance during routine health inspections, and non-compliant facilities face escalating penalties. Using Panko Alerts helps track upcoming inspection schedules and regulatory updates from SF Public Health.

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