Drain Dos and Don'Ts — Bio-Systems SA
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10/1/2014 Drain dos and don'ts — Bio-Systems SA http://www.biosystemssa.co.za/Industrial/drain-dos-and-donts 1/3 Drain dos and don'ts As the catering industry has developed, so too has the need to keep surfaces and floors clean to acceptable levels of hygiene. The development of complex cooking oils and bread spreads has necessitated the formulation of chemicals capable of removing their residues from working surfaces, floors and waste conveyance systems. In the popular obsession to sanitize and kill all bacteria, the majority of kitchen staff use harsh chemicals with increasing frequency in the misguided belief that they are keeping surfaces clean and maintaining their environment in a healthy state. Fast facts 99.9% of bacteria are essential to the healthy existence of man Chemicals only move a visible dirt problem to another invisible location Harsh chemicals damage drains The following three commonly used products are hazardous toxic substances. It is an offence to let them into municipal sewers (bylaw PN466/2000 in Cape Town, but most cities have a similar regulatory document. Ask your local Public Health Department). They are not permitted in food preparation areas, or to be used by untrained, unprotected staff. 1. Caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) – principal ingredient in most granular drain and floor cleaners Although effective at removing fatty deposits, caustic soda destroys benign bacteria. These harmless microbes are necessary for the degradation of fats, oils and greases (FOG) in drains and help prevent fatty build-ups and odour. In fact, caustic soda reacts thermally when mixed with water, generating considerable heat and saponifies FOG allowing it to be washed down drain pipes where it catches and clogs. Why? As the reaction ceases, the fats 'drop out' of suspension as a coagulant and lodge (out of sight) in an often inaccessible place – usually on a joint. The dosing point might be pristinely clean but the drain will block shortly because of the down-line deposit. Also, the heat damages plastic pipes and can lead to serious leakages. 2. Sulphuric acid (H 2 SO 4 ) – principal ingredient in 'heavy', liquid cleaning fluids Sulphuric acid is a strong mineral acid that can actually create foul-smelling sewer gasses: hydrogen sulphide (H 2 S), when dissolved in water. It destroys benign bacteria and corrodes pipes and fittings. It attacks concrete, masonry and metal structures causing pitting. This provides a foothold for fat, grease and slimy deposits – the formation of which leads ultimately to structural damage. 3. Bleach Bleach is a strong 'kill all' biocide that destroys benign bacteria a long way down the line. Bleach is often responsible for causing blockages, which result in offensive odours. Ultimately, by destroying the natural drain 'flora', these chemicals are responsible for fatty build-ups and blockages down-line. Fat and slimes start to rot, generating foul odours. Adding more chemicals exacerbates the problem and the ongoing chemical cost is totally unnecessary.
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Transcript of Drain Dos and Don'Ts — Bio-Systems SA
10/1/2014 Drain dos and don'ts — Bio-Systems SA
http://www.biosystemssa.co.za/Industrial/drain-dos-and-donts 1/3
Drain dos and don'tsAs the catering industry has developed, so too has the need to keep surfaces and floors clean toacceptable levels of hygiene. The development of complex cooking oils and bread spreads hasnecessitated the formulation of chemicals capable of removing their residues from working surfaces,floors and waste conveyance systems.
In the popular obsession to sanitize and kill all bacteria, the majority of kitchen staff use harshchemicals with increasing frequency in the misguided belief that they are keeping surfaces clean andmaintaining their environment in a healthy state.
Fast facts
99.9% of bacteria are essential to the healthy existence of manChemicals only move a visible dirt problem to another invisible location
Harsh chemicals damage drains
The following three commonly used products are hazardous toxic substances. It is an offence to letthem into municipal sewers (bylaw PN466/2000 in Cape Town, but most cities have a similarregulatory document. Ask your local Public Health Department). They are not permitted in foodpreparation areas, or to be used by untrained, unprotected staff.
1. Caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) – principal ingredient in most granular drain andfloor cleaners
Although effective at removing fatty deposits, caustic soda destroys benign bacteria. Theseharmless microbes are necessary for the degradation of fats, oils and greases (FOG) in drainsand help prevent fatty build-ups and odour. In fact, caustic soda reacts thermally whenmixed with water, generating considerable heat and saponifies FOG allowing it to be washeddown drain pipes where it catches and clogs. Why? As the reaction ceases, the fats 'drop out'of suspension as a coagulant and lodge (out of sight) in an often inaccessible place – usuallyon a joint. The dosing point might be pristinely clean but the drain will block shortly becauseof the down-line deposit. Also, the heat damages plastic pipes and can lead to seriousleakages.
2. Sulphuric acid (H2SO4) – principal ingredient in 'heavy', liquid cleaning fluids
Sulphuric acid is a strong mineral acid that can actually create foul-smelling sewer gasses:hydrogen sulphide (H2S), when dissolved in water. It destroys benign bacteria and corrodespipes and fittings. It attacks concrete, masonry and metal structures causing pitting. Thisprovides a foothold for fat, grease and slimy deposits – the formation of which leadsultimately to structural damage.
3. Bleach Bleach is a strong 'kill all' biocide that destroys benign bacteria a long way down the line.Bleach is often responsible for causing blockages, which result in offensive odours.
Ultimately, by destroying the natural drain 'flora', these chemicals are responsible for fatty build-upsand blockages down-line. Fat and slimes start to rot, generating foul odours. Adding more chemicalsexacerbates the problem and the ongoing chemical cost is totally unnecessary.
10/1/2014 Drain dos and don'ts — Bio-Systems SA
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The BIO-SYSTEMS solution
Using our microbial blends in conjunction with BIO-SYSTEMS Hard Surface Degreaser (HSDG) youwill be free of blockages and odour in accord with municipal bylaws. What's more, your costs couldbe less than the table price of a cup of coffee per day! And that includes your kitchen and servicepassage, waste room and yard floors – all fat free and non-slip.
1. FogFree (FF)
FogFree is a complex microbial powder blend that degrades FOG in kitchen traps. For mixedmeat, fish and most other catering effluent, FogFree is the answer. Just one 25g solublesachet per week will maintain the average busy restaurant or supermarket trap, as well asoutfall drain lines in good working order. The dosage must be increased proportionatelyunder heavy (peak season) loads.
2. Drain Flow 60 (DF60)3. Hard Surface Degreaser (HSDG)
Click on the BIO-SYSTEMS Product table for a complete list of products.
Soakaway drain clogged with FOG
Soakaway drain after DF60
Go to Effluent streams, Grease traps and interceptors, Oil spills, Odour prevention andIndustrial catering effluent for more on the industrial effluent disposal system.
Related content
Industrial effluent disposal at a glanceTreating effluent streamsGrease traps and interceptorsOil spillsOdour preventionConfined spacesIndustrial catering effluent
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