Food Carts
The City of Albany has had an increase in food trucks operating within city limits. It is important to remember that food trucks have a responsibility to take care of their waste much like a restaurant. While working in a food truck please use the following Best Management Practices (BMPs).
Food Cart Best Management Practices
While operating a food truck please use the following Best Management Practices (BMPs).
- Do not dump grey water (hand-washing water, food wastewater, sink water, mop bucket water, water with disinfectant, etc.) into a storm drain, parking lot or street.
- Do not wash or spray down food cart equipment, spills, contaminated pavement or containers into a catch basin, planters, sidewalk or street.
- Do not allow food waste and oil to run from a truck into a catch basin or onto a street.
- Do not leave waste or oil containers uncovered and exposed to rain.
- Maintain food cart grey water holding systems, not repairing leaks, or cleaning up spills from waste transfers (such as the dump hose and hose connections).
- Do not establish an ad-hoc sewer connection using a hose or hard plumbing. Wastewater from a mobile unit can only be discharged to the sanitary sewer at an approved location.
Failure to follow the BMPs can result in enforcement actions against the truck operator, the property owner or both. The city notifies property owners of violations and enforcement related to their property. Enforcement actions can include fines, corrective actions and cost recovery for damages or cleanup. Repeat violations will result in escalating enforcement with increasing fines.
Disposal of Food Cart Waste
A list of haulers is posted at preferredpumper.org. All businesses on the list are trained and permitted to haul and dispose of food cart wastes.
If you have any questions on how to follow the food cart BMPs or on what to do if you have a spill, please contact:
Matt Snyder
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
541-223-4285
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Fat, Oils and Grease (FOG) requirements
Common FOG sources:
- Fried foods
- Baked goods
- Cooked meats
- Butter and other dairy products
- Gravy and sauces
- Mayonnaise and salad dressings
- Food scraps
What is the big deal?
If fats, oils, and grease drain into the water system, they can cause slow draining pipes, clogged pipes, and even sewer backups causing costly private property damage.
Failure to maintain a grease interceptor/trap can create foul odors and lead to fines from the City. Save your money and follow some simple best management practices that can save your business time and money while protecting Albany's water system.
Food Service Establishment (FSE)
Oregon Plumbing Specialty Code (OPSC) defines an FSE as a facility that engages in activities of preparing or serving food or beverage for consumption either on or off the premises including, but not limited to, restaurants, cafes, commercial kitchens, caterers, hotels/motels, prisons, correctional facilities, nursing homes, care institutions.
These establishments are responsible for the installation and maintenance of grease interceptors/traps. The cities of Albany and Millersburg currently have more than 30 FSEs.
Best Management Practices (BMP)
Best management practices are activities that manage and control the disposal of FOG. There are some simple steps you can take to reduce your addition of FOG to the water system.
- Regularly maintain your grease interceptor/trap
- Collect used cooking oil
- Scrape plates and bowls into the trash or compost
- Wipe pots and pans with a paper towel before washing
- Have sink strainers or covers on all drains
- Do not sweep spills into the drains
- Do not dump anything into the storm drains
- Use water temperatures less than 140° F
- Continuous training: The City of Albany has partnered with FOGQuest to provide free online training to you and your staff. Please visit https://fogquest.thinkific.com/bundles/bmp-training-for-fats-oils-and-grease-fog and use code ALB5510. Training is available in English and Spanish!
Grease interceptor/trap requirements
A grease interceptor captures wastewater discharge from a Food Service Establishment (FSE). Water flows from the sink, dishwasher, and drains to a tank. As the water cools, the FOG separates and floats on the top or settles to the bottom. The water in the middle drains to the wastewater system, leaving behind the FOG to be disposed of in the trash.
Per Albany Municipal Code, 10.06.080:
“the owner of any facility with a grease interceptor installation shall maintain the grease interceptor at all times in a manner that shall prevent fat waste, oil, or grease from being carried into the sanitary sewer system.”
Your business can coordinate with a preferred pumper to keep your interceptor functioning properly and keep proper records of removal.
The size of your interceptor and your food production will determine the cleaning or pump-out interval. The Oregon Plumbing Specialty Code determines the minimum size of a grease interceptor installation, however grease production in food service establishments varies according to the menu.
You can prevent odors and sanitary sewer back-ups from clogs caused by fats, oil, and grease when you consider FOG production in determining your cleaning schedule. A pumper can help you with establishing a cleaning schedule. An interceptor should be cleaned out a minimum of every three months to stop buildup and keep the fats from decaying and creating a foul odor.
The interceptor must be installed outside the building to facilitate cleaning and inspections. Authorized City employees shall be allowed access to the interceptors for inspection and/or to verify compliance. FOG shall never be allowed to enter the stormwater system either directly or from overflow. FOG must be removed from the facility and disposed of properly.
Click the video below to learn how to clean a grease trap:
Do you own a new business?
If you are remodeling, converting a facility, or newly constructing a food business, you are required to install a grease interceptor/trap according to Albany Municipal Code 10.06.080 (3):
“Grease interceptors shall be sized, designed, constructed, and installed in accordance with the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) standards, and any other requirements set by the Director through the City plan review and permit process. The interceptor must be installed outside the building to facilitate cleaning and inspections. Authorized City employees shall be allowed access to the interceptors for inspection and/or to verify compliance.”
Please contact the Building Division for more details.
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Craft Fermented Beverage Industry
Best Management Practices
The Federal Clean Water Act requires cities to regulate industries that discharge wastewater or stormwater to the City’s sanitary sewer systems. The City of Albany sets the pollutant limits and regulates industries in order to protect the Albany Millersburg Water Reclamation Facility and surrounding watersheds. Businesses and industries that use fermentation and distillation processes to produce beverages are subject to environmental regulatory requirements and Best Management Practices (BMPs).
The following is an overview of Industrial Pretreatment requirements for business owners and individuals interested in the craft fermented beverage industry including, but not limited to: breweries, distilleries, wineries, cideries, meaderies, and kombucharies.
Pollutants of Concern
pH
The City’s pH range for discharges to the sanitary sewer is 6.0 to 10.0 standard units (SU). Wastewater with pH values outside of that range can corrode pipes and are prohibited from being discharged to the sanitary sewer system. (AMC 10.06.040(c))
Low pH substances (acids) include:
- Vinegar (Acetic Acid)
- Many Sanitizing Chemicals
- Finished Beverage
High pH substances (alkaline) include:
- Cleaners/Detergents
- Bleach (Sodium Hypochlorite)
- Caustic (Sodium Hydroxide)
Prior to discharge to the sanitary sewer system, wastewater pH must be within discharge range of 6.0 to 10.0 su.
- Use a tank or similar vessel to capture both acidic and alkaline waste streams.
- Once the wastes are well mixed, test the resulting pH with a handheld pH meter. If it is within the City’s allowable pH range of 6.0 and 10.0 su, then it may be discharged to the City’s sanitary sewer system.
- If the pH is outside of the range, then add an alkaline chemical to increase the pH or an acidic chemical to reduce the pH to within the allowable range.
- Mix wastewater well before testing the pH with a handheld meter.
- pH must be measured prior to discharging to the sanitary sewer.
- Maintain a log documenting each batch of wastewater discharged to the City.
- The log should include date, discharge volume, pH at time of discharge, and pH meter calibration date.
Solids
While the City’s wastewater treatment plant is designed to treat solids, highly concentrated solids can settle in the sewer pipes and obstruct flow. Discharges that obstruct a sewer line are prohibited. (AMC 10.06.040(b))
Concentrated solids such as spent grains and yeast can be collected for beneficial re-uses. Below are a few examples of how spent grains and yeast can be repurposed:
Agricultural: Spent grains and yeast can be sued by local farmers and livestock owners for on-site composting and feed uses.
Baking: Spent grains can be used by local baking businesses for breads, cookies, and even dog biscuits. Reach out to your local community baking businesses.
Composting: Composting spent grains and yeast can be used to fertilize fields, community gardens, and urban greenhouses.
Supplemental Energy: Fuel-to-energy processes converts spent grain into biogas that can be used to generate energy.
For more information regarding sustainable brewing practices, best management practices and beneficial re-uses at: Brewers Association (www.brewersassociation.org) handout
Best Management Practices (BMPs)
- Plumb all drains from brewing operations to a common drain, sump, or wastewater tank. Control of pH is necessary, and batch treatment to meet pH limits is the best option for many small breweries.
- Set aside sufficient floor space for a wastewater pH equalization/treatment tank, treatment chemical containers and solids handling equipment and storage. Store all chemicals on secondary containment.
- Provide an easily accessible sample site that is representative of the discharge from the brewing operation, separate from the sanitary and restaurant drain lines.
- Consider beneficial reuse: Seek opportunities to turn solids into compost, fertilizer, animal feed, energy, or reuse. See information above.
- Install screens, baskets and filters on all floor drains and trenches. Use appropriate gauge screens and make sure screens are easy to access and service.
- Contain solids at the source. Do not let them hit the ground. If they do, sweep up and collect all solids that are spilled immediately. Do not rinse solids down the drain.
- Train all employees upon hiring and annually thereafter on BMP management practices, solid management practices, and pH control.
Rules and Regulations – All Businesses
All Craft Fermented Beverage Industries must abide by the discharge prohibitions listed in AMC 10.06.040(1) and implement Best Management Practices (BMPs) per Albany Municipal Code AMC 10.06.030(6).
Wastewater Discharge Permits
Currently, a general Wastewater Discharge Permit is required to discharge wastewater from craft fermented beverage facilities.
Wastewater Discharge Permit application (pdf)
For additional information contact the City of Albany Industrial Pretreatment Program at
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Industry Information
Permitted Industries
Wastewater discharge permits are issued to industrial sewer users that are designated by federal regulations (categorical industrial users), industries that have a large potential impact on the treatment system, and industries with high flow or organic loading. These permitted industries are monitored for compliance with permit limits, and to determine sewer billing under the industrial sewer rate. Albany’s current permitted industrial users include, food processors, pharmaceutical manufacturing, titanium casting, metal finishing, research laboratories, resin manufactures, and craft fermented beverages to name a few.
Non-permitted Industries
The following business categories may generate process wastewater that could affect the wastewater treatment system, or store chemicals that could be of concern if spilled or discharged improperly, BUT MAY NOT REQUIRE A PERMIT IF THE FOLLOWING BMPs are implemented. Best Management Practices (BMPs) or guidelines are listed for each business category. BMPs are actions designed to help reduce the amount of pollutants discharged to the environment by improving overall waste management practices and to comply with environmental regulations.
- Automotive repair, including radiator and body shops
- Cannabis Industries
- Dental Offices
- Restaurants and food preparation facilities
- Food Carts
- Paint Waste
- Printing Operations
- Dry cleaners
- Vehicle washing, including mobile wash operations
- Hospitals and medical clinics
- Mobile carpet cleaners
- Industrial laundry
- Grocery stores
- Storage and warehouse
Other categories, even residences, can discharge chemicals or grease improperly that can adversely affect the wastewater collection or treatment system.
If you have questions about your business or home use of chemicals and their discharge to the sanitary sewer system, please contact the Environmental Services division:
or call 541-917-7600
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Local Limits
The City of Albany is required to establish discharge limitations for various pollutants of concern to the Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW). The City of Albany considers many factors when developing and revising its local limits, including the Albany-Millersburg Water Reclamation Facility (AMWRF) efficiency in treating wastes; NPDES requirements, the condition and status of the Willamette River that receives its treated effluent, the AMWRF retention, use, and disposal of sewage sludge and biosolids recycling as well as worker health and safety concerns. The regulatory basis for establishing these limits lies in 40 CFR Part 403.5(c), requiring the development of specific limits to implement prohibition of discharges harmful to the POTW, including sludges. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has required the submission of technically based local limits for approval, and DEQ has approved Albany's local limits. These limits apply only to Albany's permitted industrial users, but they may be applied to other pollutant sources through a permit in response to discharges.
The current local limits were approved by DEQ in August 2018 and adopted via council resolution on February 27, 2019.
City of Albany, Oregon: Local Limits as Approved by DEQ (August 2018)
Pollutants | Unit of Measurement | Local Limit |
---|---|---|
Arsenic | mg/L | 1.0 |
Cadmium | mg/L | 0.44 |
Chromium | mg/L | 2.8 |
Copper | mg/L | 3.4 |
Cyanide | mg/L | 1.2 |
Lead | mg/L | 0.7 |
Mercury | mg/L | 0.08 |
Molybedenum | mg/L | 0.84 |
Nickel | mg/L | 1.6 |
Oil and Grease | mg/L | 300 |
pH | s.u. range | 6.0-10.0 |
Selenium | mg/L | 0.72 |
Silver | mg/L | 1.1 |
Zinc | mg/L | 1.5 |
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