Panaji: The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) will introduce a Goa Grease Trap Compliance Framework on a pilot basis in a major municipality, with Panaji, Mapusa and Margao among the options. The framework will require hotels, restaurants, canteens, banquet halls and other establishments with kitchen operations to clean grease traps at least once every 30 days to prevent drains from clogging and emitting foul odour.Kitchen wastewater contains oil, grease and food residues which, if discharged without adequate treatment, can accumulate in drainage and sewerage systems, causing blockages, foul odour and overflows. Such discharge can also affect downstream sewage treatment systems.Oil and grease traps help separate grease and settleable solids from kitchen wastewater before it enters drainage systems. While the GSPCB already prescribes their installation through consent conditions for establishments generating kitchen wastewater, maintenance and cleaning requirements have not been standardised in terms of frequency and measurable criteria.The new framework will establish uniform requirements for the installation, operation, inspection, maintenance and cleaning of grease traps.“Installation of an oil and grease trap alone does not ensure effective removal of oil and grease. The trap needs to be regularly inspected and cleaned to maintain its effective capacity and separation efficiency. With continued operation, floating grease accumulates at the surface while food particles and other solids settle at the bottom,” the board noted at a recent meeting.If the accumulated material is not removed periodically, grease and solids can enter outlet pipes, clog downstream drainage and sewerage pipelines, generate foul odour and reduce the trap’s effectiveness.Under the framework, traps must be adequately designed and sized, and remain accessible for inspection and cleaning. They must be periodically checked for floating grease, settled solids and proper functioning of the inlet and outlet.Traps must be completely cleaned at least once every 30 days, or earlier if the combined accumulation of floating grease and settled solids reaches 25% of the effective liquid depth, whichever occurs first.
