Under which condition may wastes bypass interior grease interceptors?

• A. Only during maintenance
• B. When wastes from a food waste grinder, a sanitizing compartment of a sink, or a rinse compartment of a sink bypass the interceptors
• C. Never bypass
• D. Bypass allowed during system testing

Answer: (B)

Grease interceptors are meant to trap fats, oils, and grease before wastewater leaves a facility. However, some waste streams are not grease-laden or could interfere with the interceptor’s operation, so codes allow bypass for those specific cases. Wastes from a food waste grinder, a sanitizing compartment of a sink, or a rinse compartment of a sink may bypass the interceptors because they typically carry solids, cleaning agents, or non-greasy water that don’t benefit from, and could even hinder, grease separation. This keeps the interceptor functioning properly for true greasy loads while handling these other discharges separately. Normally, other waste should pass through the interceptor, so bypass is not a general rule.