Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG)

Whenever we eat food at home, eat at a restaurant or even pass by a drive-through, someone has to clean the dirty pots and dishes that are generated.

The best, harmless approach to cleaning is to wipe the cooking equipment of the fats, oils and grease before washing it. Foods that float in the dish water should not go down the drain, and foods that fall to the bottom of the sink when washing belong in the trash, too. When that doesn't happen, fats, oils and grease (FOG) get rinsed right down the drain and end up in our sewers, which are not designed to accept these substances.

FOG sticks to the sides of the sewer pipes and hardens inside. FOG blocks wastewater flow and clogs sewer pipes, which can cause untreated sewage to overflow in our homes and businesses and onto our streets — costing us all a lot of money. This is a major problem for Miami-Dade County's public sanitary sewer system and our environment.

The damage:

Unsanitary public health conditions that breed bacteria, combined with bad odors and high cleanup costs for homeowners, food-service establishments and public works departments.
Several million dollars lost each year spent unclogging greasy FOG inside our sewer pipes.
Several more millions lost to increase spending on the interference caused by FOG slowing down our sewage treatment plant process, affecting the pumps and generators that clean our wastewater.

To effectively transport and treat our wastewater, our sewer system must be properly maintained from the kitchen and bathroom drains all the way to the wastewater treatment plant.

Currently, Miami-Dade County, its municipalities and our County's sanitary sewer system infrastructure is under Federal Court Order to correct existing problems and operate the system in a proactive manner that reduces or eliminates the release of untreated sewage to our environment.

The settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other federal organizations contains the details about required upgrades, operational changes and the requirement to reduce the amount of fats, oils and grease in our sanitary sewer pipes.

Fats, oils and grease (FOG) can severely damage the sewage pipes inside your kitchen, and lead to expensive plumbing repairs and sewage backups in your home, property and in the public sanitary sewer system.

Wiping pots, pans and dishes before washing them — so the greasy, fatty sauces, oils, fats and gravy go in the trash — can prevent clogged pipes and costly repairs. Never pour fats, oils, or grease down a garbage disposal, sink or storm drain. Instead, allow FOG to cool; seal it in a can or bottle; and dispose of it in household trash.
- Residential tips to handle FOG at home
Any non-residential facility that handles, prepares or processes food (hot or cold), discharges or has the potential to discharge fats, oils, and grease into the sanitary sewer system or into an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system (septic system) located in a wellfield protection area requires a FOG Discharge Control operating (FOG) permit (also referred to as a GDO permit) and an approved, operational FOG Control Device (grease interceptor/trap). These facilities are categorized as FOG generators. Typical examples of FOG generators include restaurants, cafeterias, supermarkets, schools, banquet halls and food courts at malls or shopping centers.

Fats, oils and grease (FOG) includes byproducts from everyday cooking and cleaning — fryer oil, butter, meat grease, sauces, and more. When washed down the drain, these substances cool and solidify in plumbing systems. The result? Costly blockages, untreated sewage overflows, damage to municipal infrastructure, and potential loss of customers.
- Read about applying for a FOG operating permit and compliance requirements
For complaints, compliance inspections or any FOG enforcement-related matters, email [email protected] or call 786-315-2424.

Walk-in assistance
- Permitting and Inspection Center, 11805 SW 26th Street, Miami, FL 33175
- Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to noon
- Check in at the front lobby. You will be added to the MEET Q System and assisted by a supervisor
If you observe a discharge to the environment, report environmental complaints to the Division of Environmental Resources Management (DERM) complaint desk at 305-372-6955, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week or by emailing [email protected]. You may also report environment complaints online.