Picture this: it’s a busy Friday night. The kitchen’s booming, the fryers are working overtime, and the last thing on anyone’s mind is what’s lurking beneath the floor. But down there, out of sight, your grease trap is quietly filling up with fats, oils, and grease. If neglected, it’s not just a smelly inconvenience, it’s an environmental hazard.

 

 

A grease trap is a plumbing device designed to intercept FOG before it enters the wastewater system. Without it, cooking by-products can solidify in pipes, cause blockages, and overflow into public sewers. The result? Backups, odours, overflows and eventually, fines. In fact, FOG-related blockages are one of the leading causes of “fatbergs” in UK sewers, massive congealed lumps of grease and waste that can cause entire drainage systems to shut down.  Thames Water clears around 75,000 blockages each year and Anglian Water 40,000, many due to grease buildup.

 

 

When grease traps overflow or leak, the environmental cost is significant:

- Contaminated waterways

- Increased load on sewage treatment plants

- Harm to natural habitats and aquatic life 

- Disruption to local ecosystems

 

The waste may start in the kitchen, but it unfortunately ends up in rivers, lakes, and oceans. Grease spills can lead to oxygen-depleted water, harming fish, eco-systems and destroying natural habitats. And the problem is entirely preventable.

 

 

Many businesses try to clean their grease traps internally to save costs. But as Bedford Hospital discovered, that’s often "impracticable to carry out effectively." Before partnering with Just Filters, Bedford Hospital managed their own filter cleaning and grease trap maintenance. But it became clear the process was labour-intensive, inconsistent, and exposed staff to avoidable hygiene risks. They moved to a professional grease trap and filter exchange contract in 2017. Since then, the difference has been night and day: "We have found the company to be very reliable and always attend site on the agreed day/time each month with no intervention from us required. RAMS and completion certificates are sent over by email and available via the company portal."

 

 

Whether you operate a hospital, hotel, restaurant, or school, here are key grease trap maintenance tips:

 

Frequency depends on the size of your trap and kitchen output, but monthly or bi-monthly is a good baseline.

 

Let a trained team handle the job with proper cleaning equipment, disposal protocols, and documentation.

 

Track cleanings, inspections, and issues. It’s great for audits and insurance.

 

Educate kitchen staff to scrape plates and avoid pouring oil down sinks.

 

High-output kitchens might benefit from a backup or multi-stage system.

 

 

We offer more than just filter exchanges. Our grease trap service includes: expert installation, scheduled cleaning and maintenance, fully certified waste disposal, completion reports and digital access. There’s no hassle, no disruption, and no stress. We quietly keep things clean so your kitchen keeps running.

 

 

Our sustainable service, means that by maintaining your grease trap properly, you'll not only meet environmental standards but actively reduce pollution. And all the fat, oil and grease we collect is recycled to create biofuel, biogas and fertiliser, supporting renewable energy, diesel and growth of vegetables.

 

 

It’s easy to ignore what we can’t see, but grease traps are where hygiene, safety, and sustainability collide. Proper maintenance is a small habit with a big ripple effect, for your business and for the environment. Ready to make the switch? If you’re still managing your grease traps in-house or haven’t checked them in months, it’s time to rethink your routine. Join the Just Filters community and see the difference for yourself.