Kitchen
A CRD Guide
New Regulation for
Kitchen Kitchen Equipment Cleaning
equipment
The Kitchen Equipment Cleaning Regulation – part
of the Capital Regional District (CRD) Sewer Use
cleaning
Bylaw – states that wastewater generated through
the heavy cleaning of kitchen equipment cannot
be disposed of in the sanitary sewer or storm drain.
Instead, cleaners are now responsible for collecting
their wastewater and taking it offsite for treatment.
Please note: This regulation applies to the heavy
janitorial work most often carried out by professional
cleaning companies. It does not apply to the day-to-
day cleaning tasks carried out by food services workers
on a routine basis.
Why it’s Important
Heavy cleaning of exhaust systems and other
restaurant equipment produces large amounts of
greasy, chemical-laden wastewater.
This toxic liquid can be destructive to the sewer
and stormwater systems and can have a negative
impact on the environment: sewer lines can become
clogged with balls of grease, pipes can be corroded
by chemicals, stormwater collection systems can
become contaminated or blocked, and streams
can become polluted and unsafe for fish.
Wastewater can also cause serious problems for
restaurants: grease and chemicals can destroy
roofs, cause odours, attract rodents and birds,
and block roof drains and pipes.
By requiring that wastewater be treated before it
is disposed of, the new regulation helps ensure
that these harmful effects are minimized.
What does the new regulation mean to me?
If you work in the
If you are a kitchen
food services industry…
Grease and oils break down
equipment cleaning operator…
roofing materials, resulting
As a restaurant owner or food services worker, the
in costly repairs.
If you are a kitchen equipment cleaning operator,
regulation does not affect your own day-to-day
the new regulation means an important change in
cleaning routines.
your procedures.
However, fire regulations require that you have your
You may capture wastewater in any one of a
exhaust system (including the hood, ducts, and fan)
number of ways: plastic shrouding, containment
cleaned by trained personnel every six months.
systems such as drip trays, or any other effective
Although the professional service may represent
method. Whichever technique you choose, you
additional costs, these are offset by several direct
must ensure that it prevents wastewater from
benefits. Because wastewater is collected rather than
entering the sewer or stormwater systems. Once
being flushed through grease traps, poured into the
captured, the wastewater must be taken offsite
sewer, or allowed to run down your roof, you will
for treatment.
likely experience:
■ less frequent grease trap cleanings;
■ less damage to your roof;
■ fewer backups due to blockages in sewer, storm,
and roof drains;
■ less contamination in your stormwater collection
systems;
■ fewer rodents; and
Wastewater flushed
■ the elimination of any liability for improper
through grease
waste disposal.
traps results in
the need for more
If you do your own heavy cleaning, you must
frequent grease
comply with the regulation, just as though you
trap cleanings.
were a professional cleaning company. This means
that you must collect all wastewater you produce
and take it offsite for treatment. You must also keep
Wastewater from cleaning
a kitchen exhaust system
The new regulation is part of the effort to minimize
records of all heavy cleaning you perform, including
must be collected and taken
harmful effects to the environment by substances
when and how you disposed of the wastewater.
offsite to a treatment facility.
and procedures commonly employed by various
service industries. To ensure a level playing field,
Wastewater from cleaning a
kitchen exhaust system may
non-compliant operations will be subject to
not be discharged into the
escalating fines where appropriate.
sanitary sewer or storm drain.
From the
Definitions and
CRD Sewer Use Bylaw
Contact Information
Kitchen Equipment Cleaning Regulation
Definitions
“Kitchen Equipment” means equipment that
Section 2.12
includes, but is not limited to exhaust systems,
No kitchen equipment cleaning operator shall
stoves, ovens, broilers, woks, fryers and the
directly or indirectly discharge, or allow or cause to
surfaces in the vicinity of the kitchen equipment.
be discharged, any kitchen equipment cleaning waste
into a sewer connected to a sewage facility except:
“Kitchen Equipment Cleaning Operation” means
a) with a waste discharge permit or authorization; or
any commercial, industrial, institutional operation
b) at a facility operating under a waste discharge
or a public authority engaged in the cleaning
of kitchen equipment using grease-removing
permit or authorization that specifically
chemicals and water under high pressure.
authorizes such discharges.
Section 2.13
“Kitchen Equipment Cleaning Waste” means a
As a condition of discharge under Section 2.12, a
combination of water and water carried liquid and
solid wastes generated by a kitchen equipment
kitchen equipment cleaning operator must:
cleaning operation.
a) adjust the pH of the waste to a range between
5.5 and 12.5; and
b) keep a record of all kitchen equipment cleaning
For more information on the CRD Sewer Use Bylaw,
performed, including:
the new regulation, or the code of practice for food
i) the date of cleaning;
service operations:
ii) the cleaning location;
CRD Hotline: (250) 360-3030
iii) any pH adjustment;
CRD website: www.crd.bc.ca
iv) the final pH of waste disposed; and
For collection and treatment of restaurant wastewater:
v) the location and date of disposal.
SPL Wastewater Recovery Centre: (250) 391-7892
Check the Yellow Pages for additional sources
Section 2.14
BC Restaurant and Foodservices Association
Sections 2.12 to 2.13 do not apply to discharges of
Head Office, Vancouver:
kitchen equipment cleaning waste from self-cleaning
(604) 669-2239 / 1-800-663-4482
exhaust hoods installed over kitchen equipment being
Victoria Branch: (250) 386-6368
operated under the requirements of Schedule “I” of
this Bylaw.
For fire regulations governing exhaust system maintenance:
Fire Department - See the Blue Pages for your
municipality.
This paper contains 100% post-consumer recycled fibre
and is printed with vegetable-based inks.
