Trapzilla | Blog

Suggestions for Reducing Detergent/Lipid Emulsions:

Apr 22, 2013

Keep Soapy flows from Contacting Downstream Fats and Oils (Lipids)

A commercial dishwasher’s output is hot, soapy water and is ALWAYS running richer than needed in terms of detergent chemicals. Why? Because it is a far lesser evil to send unused detergent (high in BOD) with sanitizers (chlorides) and water softening agents (a variety of mineral grabbing stuff so as to leave no spots on the washed ware) THAN to have a potential sanitary hazard imposed on the community’s dining customers, i.e. dirty dishes. Sending a commercial dishwasher’s output through the kitchen’s drainage plumbing emulsifies any and all fats or oils in its route, including the retained grease and oils in a conventional downstream grease separator. Notice the wording “conventional”. Anytime a warm (usually no longer hot by that time) soapy flow enters a conventional (think traditional inlet and outlet configuration), it rises “lava lamp” style and displaces the cold water already in the separator. As the cold water layer falls, it tugs on the underside of the trapped grease mat, adding some gentle mixing action.

Understanding Kitchen Ware Washing: Detergents and Scrapping Practices

Apr 22, 2013

Better Practices in the Modern Era

We are thankful to live in the 21^st century and to not worry about dying from a restaurant dining experience. I once worked with a man whose 20 year-old brother died in 1940 of food poisoning from a restaurant with poor sanitation. As recently as the late 1940s, hot water heaters were not reliable and ware-washing detergents were caustic based. If the water was not hot, the detergent was not effective. Today’s modern restaurant has plenty of hot water, highly efficient detergents and those detergents also contain sanitizers and water softening agents to ensure complete sanitation and cleaning takes place.

Today we have better sanitation practices and the plates are always clean, but how about what is being sent down the drain? Does it pose a problem for the community’s sewer collection system? Can the constituents be treated at the community’s wastewater treatment plant?

Fresh and Healthy Asian-inspired Food with Quick Service – Panda Express

Mar 13, 2013

In our role as a trusted solutions provider for restaurant oil and grease compliance, Thermaco is honored to work with a number of highly successful restaurant brands – some founded upon interesting and inspirational methods of business.

With this post we share one such story…

One of the fastest growing quick-serve restaurants in America, Panda Restaurant Group was founded in 1973 in Pasadena, California, when Andrew Cherng opened the first Panda Inn, with his father Master Chef Ming-Tsai Cherng. Today, the privately held company has grown to 1,582 restaurants in 42 states, Puerto Rico and Mexico, with revenue topping $1.7 billion – truly a world leader in the Asian dining experience.

What’s Your Flatulence Suffering Preference?

Dec 10, 2012

Pumping out Trapzilla A Long Poot or a Short Toot?

The smell was putrid, foreign, the caller said.

The strange odor, which emanated from somewhere on the college campus, stung the nostrils of the untrained and the unsuspecting.

But mostly the smell, characteristic of rotten eggs, was making people afraid.

What is it? What can it be?

The students wrongly assumed the awful smells were from hazardous chemicals. Someone called in a Hazmat team, and buildings were evacuated.

Food Equipment & Supplies Features

Sep 14, 2012

Food Equipment and Supplies Magazine recently sent out an E-Newsletter featuring the Trapzilla line of products. Take a moment to check out the articles below and stop by the Trapzilla website to see the award-winning animated short-film.

A New Generation of Grease Receptors is Born

Foodservice operators have more options than ever when buying and installing grease interceptors, but that wasn’t always the case. The choices were few and certainly not optimal — either deal with the maintenance issues involving a smaller, internal unit or find the space and invest in a large exterior concrete tank. A necessary inconvenience, some operators thought.

Childhood Memories Inspire FOG Program Pioneer

Aug 9, 2012

Cartoon Fox When Michelle Aumiller was a kid growing up in Oklahoma, she loved jumping in mud puddles.

Today, though, in her role as a municipal Industrial Waste Monitor, she knows that sanitary sewer overflows can turn a child’s mud puddle into a serious health hazard.

“By protecting our sewer lines and waste treatment plants from FOG (fats, oil and grease) and other contaminants,” Aumiller says, “we keep waste water from contaminating the environment and mud puddles – for our children and grandchildren.”

Six years ago, when Aumiller took on the position of Industrial Waste Monitor for Midwest City, Oklahoma, the municipality was experiencing serious problems with Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSO).

“The city was under a Consent Order by the state Department of Environmental Quality and was facing large fines for the overflows,” according to Aumiller. “The first thing I did was write a letter that the sewer line crew distributed to homes, restaurants and businesses -- explaining the problem that we were having with FOG and other clogging materials and providing information on best practices to help solve the problem.”

Trapzilla Saves the Day for a Historic Town in North Carolina

Jul 6, 2012

With more than 37 years of experience in municipal wastewater treatment, Arnold Allred knows about the problems that restaurant oil and grease can cause for wastewater collection systems and treatment plants.

Allred began his career in wastewater management in 1974, when right out of high school he landed a job “turning valves” with the City of Asheboro’s wastewater plant. He stayed with the treatment facility for 30 years, working his way to plant superintendent. After retiring from the City of Asheboro, Allred began serving as Public Works...

Thermaco joins Southeastern United States - Canadian Provinces (SEUS-CP) Alliance Conference

Jun 22, 2012

Held on May 20-22 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the 2012 SEUS-CP Alliance Conference brought together 300 high-level governmental and business leaders -- all sharing the common goal of enhancing strategic trade and investment between the United States and Canada.

Focusing on advanced manufacturing, technology, and a green economy, SEUS provided Thermaco representatives an opportunity to meet with Canadian government officials from Ontario, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Manitoba, and Quebec to share ideas about regulating FOG (fat, oil and grease) produced by Canadian restaurants.