Grease Trap Installation & DEP Compliance in NYC

DEP regulations require grease interceptors on all food service establishments that discharge grease-laden wastewater — including full-service restaurants, fast food operations, bakeries, cafeterias, and any commercial tenant with kitchen cooking equipment. If your kitchen has a commercial range, fryer, grill, or other cooking equipment connected to a drain, a properly sized and installed interceptor is required. Operating without one is a DEP violation from day one of food service operations.

Yes. NYC DEP requires grease interceptors to be installed by a Licensed Master Plumber with proper DOB permits filed and DEP notification. Improperly installed or un-permitted interceptors do not satisfy DEP compliance requirements — even if the device itself is the right size. We handle the full scope: sizing calculations, permit filing, installation, and DEP documentation.

Building owners who lease to food service tenants are primarily responsible for ensuring compliant grease interceptor installation. The device is part of the building's plumbing infrastructure. Tenants discovered operating without a properly sized and installed interceptor face DEP violations and potential sewer connection restrictions. In practice, many lease disputes arise when a tenant opens a food service operation in a space that previously had non-food use — the building owner is responsible for getting the interceptor installed before the food service tenant opens.

DEP sizing guidelines are based on the kitchen's fixture count, drainage flow rate, and type of cooking equipment. An undersized interceptor fills faster than it can be pumped, overflows grease into the sewer line, and generates DEP violations. Undersized units are one of the most common compliance failures we find during assessments — often installed by prior tenants or before the kitchen was fully equipped. When we find an undersized unit, we replace it with correctly sized equipment and file the documentation update with DEP.

DEP requires grease interceptors to be cleaned and pumped at intervals sufficient to prevent grease overflow — the standard is when the interceptor reaches 25% grease and solids accumulation, though many active kitchens require pumping every 1–4 weeks. The pumping must be done by a licensed grease hauler, and maintenance records must be kept on-site. We advise on pumping frequency based on the kitchen's volume and can coordinate with licensed haulers.