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.
10/1/2014 Drain dos and don'ts Bio-Systems SA
http://www.biosystemssa.co.za/Industrial/drain-dos-and-donts 2/3
The BIO-SYSTEMS solution
Using our microbial blends in conjunction with BIO-SYSTEMS Hard Surface Degreaser (HSDG) you
will be free of blockages and odour in accord with municipal bylaws. What's more, your costs could
be less than the table price of a cup of coffee per day! And that includes your kitchen and service
passage, 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 mixed
meat, fish and most other catering effluent, FogFree is the answer. Just one 25g soluble
sachet per week will maintain the average busy restaurant or supermarket trap, as well as
outfall drain lines in good working order. The dosage must be increased proportionately
under 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 and
Industrial catering effluent for more on the industrial effluent disposal system.
Related content
Industrial effluent disposal at a glance
Treating effluent streams
Grease traps and interceptors
Oil spills
Odour prevention
Confined spaces
Industrial catering effluent
10/1/2014 Drain dos and don'ts Bio-Systems SA
http://www.biosystemssa.co.za/Industrial/drain-dos-and-donts 3/3