Caustic and Butyl in the sewer

Tony Shelton

BS Detector, Esquire
Jim Gamble mentioned that he has to filter a lot of stuff out of his reclaim in order to dump down the sewer. He also claimed that, in California, Caustic is not allowed in cleaning and backed that up with a statement from a water official that said "one drop of caustic in the sewer could cause damage".

Could someone from California please explain to me how is it possible to clean kitchen exhausts without chemicals or please post a picture of the filter system you must use before you can allow KEC runoff into the sewer.

Thanks.
 
OhOhh ohhh oh oh oh oh <insert pic of Arnold Horseshack here> pic me pic me........wait I'm not a Cali hood cleaner!


Does Blythe count?:rotflmao1:
 
let's face it none of use are 100 percent leagal. If for no other reason then are local enforcment doesn't even know all the rules. I bet if you ask 2 different code inforcment officers in your area the same question you get 2 different answers.
 
Do hood cleaners use Drains????????

Yes and No :eek:uttahere:

I do "not all the time" but then again. I use the floor drains all the time :yes4: unless they don't work.

Let me try to explain.
The waste water from the exhaust system is captured grease is skimmed off the waste is then cooled and Neutralized the sent through grease trap/interceptor.

Told you it was an easy one.
 
Wait, Tony's question pertains more to handling the runoff from the roof! In this case waste is captured/directed back into the restaurant to be captured and handled as previously mentioned.

Now if your one of my competitors and just throw it out the back door onto the parking lot or drive-thru. That's something else speak with them.
 
let's face it none of use are 100 percent leagal. If for no other reason then are local enforcment doesn't even know all the rules. I bet if you ask 2 different code inforcment officers in your area the same question you get 2 different answers.


In five years I don't think we've ever violated the CWA. Our local BMPs specifically state that plaza washing runoff with no soap is permitted to go directly into the storm drain.

http://www.lvstormwater.com/pdfs/bmp_brochure.pdf

lvbmp.jpg
 
recycled caustic wash water CLEANS drains nice

you nailed it Anthony, there's exageration even amongst the law enforcement.
The water official that said "one drop of caustic in the sewer could cause damage"...
is an alarmist-dork. :ignore:

Anyway, the rule is minimize management with simplicity, and maximize workspeed, so..
reclaim is required to include filtration, and
when you have to, use Sodium Metasilicate instead of caustic soda,
and D-Limonine instead of Butyl. :nhl_checking:

Also, if you "recycle for reuse" where you can,
use a drain cleaning attachment as the last step of the job,
and you get to charge the customer for "cleaning his drains" too !
mo money, is mo better. Eh?
:dance3::dance3:
 
Jim Gamble mentioned that he has to filter a lot of stuff out of his reclaim in order to dump down the sewer. He also claimed that, in California, Caustic is not allowed in cleaning and backed that up with a statement from a water official that said "one drop of caustic in the sewer could cause damage".

Could someone from California please explain to me how is it possible to clean kitchen exhausts without chemicals or please post a picture of the filter system you must use before you can allow KEC runoff into the sewer.

Thanks.

Tony, as a Waste Water Operator here in N.C. I can tell you that is a complete falsehood.

Caustic & Acids are routinely used to maintain and stabilize the PH of waste water systems.
 
+100 Guy
 
Tony, as a Waste Water Operator here in N.C. I can tell you that is a complete falsehood.

Caustic & Acids are routinely used to maintain and stabilize the PH of waste water systems.


Yeah, I already knew that. ( I think you and I talked about this before on the phone, didn't we?) My brother-in-law runs a plant in Tennessee. Water treatment plants are some of the largest users of caustic.

But tell that to those geniuses in California. They told Jim that any output of caustic at all in the sewer kills all their good bacteria and can shut the treatment plant down.

The guy was probably a pencil pusher in the EPA department who has no idea what goes on in the plant.
 
Also Las Vegas wants you to get the overall PH of your sewer discharge to be 9 or less.

Tom or Nigel, do the math and find out what the PH of a hot caustic mix (3 cups/ gallon) rinsed with, say, 20 gallons of water theoretically should be. I bet it's not more than 9.

(Or one of you guys out in the field using a hot mix could do a live PH test)
 
you can clean a hood with really hot steam .. But Caustic is in every drain cleaner on the market .. Maybe the plumbers are in on this one in cali.. they get mad when people solve their own drain problems.. LOL .. Cali is just a crazy state..Anyway I am sure if you use steam , get a bunch of scrapers and such and jack your price up by 200% then blame it on the state things will probably change quick..
 
Large cities have the capability to treat 10's of MILIONS of gallons a day, even if you poured 20 bags (or more) of caustis beads in a sewer, it would not effect their WW plants one bit.

Treatment plants are effected mostly by greases & oils.

Call your local treatment plant and ask what their MGD (million gallons a day) discharge is. You'd be very surprised.
 
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