What is FOG?

Fats, Oils and Grease or “FOG” comes from cooking oil, shortening, lard, margarine, butter, dairy products and meat fat in food scraps.

Durham County has a FOG Removal System Policy that regulates commercial establishments, such as restaurants, bakeries, grocery stores, schools, and institutions with on-site cafeterias. Residential customers are also significant contributors. But, there is no policy to regulate residential customers. Durham County has established a two hundred milligram per liter (200 mg/L) limit for the amount of oil and grease that can be put into the sewer system. The FOG policy can be found in Durham County’s Sewer Use Ordinance (SUO) [PDF]

FOG poured down kitchen drains accumulates inside sewer pipes. As it builds up, the flow through the pipe is restricted and can cause sanitary sewer overflows (SSO). The end result is sewage backing up into homes, yards, streets, storm drains and into creeks. These SSO’s can damage property, harm the environment and create health hazards.

FOG Forms & Documents Grease Trap Installation Requirements Grease Trap Cleaning & Disposal Guidelines for Requesting a Grease Trap Cleaning Variance FOG Do's & Don'ts