Grease Trap Cleaning/Cooking Oil Recycling in Orange County

Phoenix Pumping Icon-Used Cooking Oil Recycling in Los Angeles

We clean grease traps and recycle used cooking oil from restaurants throughout Orange County. Call Phoenix Pumping today at 858-437-9438 to begin service.

With decades of experience, we are fully licensed and insured. We are the go-to source for professional grease trap cleaning and waste cooking oil disposal. You can be confident in our expertise and in the reliability of our service.

How do we recycle used cooking oil in Orange County?

All restaurants and food service establishments are required to recycle their cooking oil.

All used cooking oil collectors must have a state of California IKG (indelible kitchen grease) hauler’s license to collect and transport used cooking oil. To haul without a license is a serious crime. Haulers and grease trap cleaning companies must be able to provide a manifest for every job they perform in all cities in Orange County. Check your hauler’s license at the link above. Their vehicles must have identifying names and license information on both front doors of every vehicle.

Cooking oil must be professionally recycled to ensure the safety of the kitchen and its employees. After cooking oil has been used it needs to be transferred to appropriate containers to hold the oil for pickup by Phoenix Pumping. Our regularly scheduled pickup ensures we empty the tank before it is full. Regular waste cooking oil pickups prevent spills and deter theft.

We provide the oil bin that fits the needs of your restaurant. Our waste oil disposal service is clean, prompt and efficient.

Never put grease or cooking oil down the drain. It clogs pipes, causes backups, expensive cleanups, damage to neighbors plumbing and contaminates public waterways. The fines can be significant as can the cleanup costs. These restaurant employees at a Popeye’s in Detroit caused a very large and expensive problem by disposing of cooking oil in a sewer grate.

Free cooking oil storage bins for used cooking oil

Phoenix Pumping provides cooking oil storage containers and equipment such as caddies and eco tubs to transport used oil to the storage container safely. 

All of the oil from your restaurant goes to make cleaner-burning fuels such as biodiesel, renewable diesel, and SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel).

Consumers wishing to recycle their household cooking oil can check with their waste hauler: Many cities in Orange County, like Costa Mesa, allow residents to dispose of used cooking oil in their green waste bins. Contact your local waste hauler (e.g., CR&R Environmental Services) to confirm if they accept cooking oil and how to package it (usually in a sealed container) properly.

Orange County, California pier grease trap pumping

Where to Find Grease Trap Cleaning in Orange County

Grease traps are required in all restaurants in Orange County and are required to prevent oil and grease from clogging pipes and fouling public waterways. Grease traps trap FOGs (fats, oil and grease) and prevent them from entering wastewater systems. But grease traps must be cleaned regularly to keep them functioning as intended. Grease traps must be cleaned regularly but at least as often as required by the 25% rule.

How does the 25% rule for grease trap cleaning work in Orange County?

The 25% rule states that when the grease layer (top) and the food solids (bottom layer) within a grease trap reach 25% of the total depth of liquid the trap should be pumped. This is critical to maintaining the effective performance of a grease trap. Grease trap cleaning is best done by professionals such as Phoenix Pumping.

Malfunctioning grease traps can result in floods, smelly odors, expensive repairs, fines, and sometimes the closure of the restaurant. Phoenix Pumping’s grease trap service keep your restaurant clean, well-maintained and in compliance with local regulations.

When Phoenix Pumping cleans your grease trap you get all of these services:

If you want to know more about the rules and regulations governing grease traps and cooking oil recycling you will need to contact the governing agency in the specific city within Orange County. For instance, in the city of Orange, there are extensive regulations governing grease traps in the City of Orange Municipal Code which is available here. The Orange County Sanitation District has design requirements for grease traps.

Our Service Areas in Orange County

Orange County encompasses 34  incorporated cities, including the City of Orange, Anaheim, Santa Ana and Irvine. Phoenix Pumping  serves all of Orange County including these cities:

Aliso ViejoCypressLaguna HillsSan Clemente
BreaDana PointLaguna NiguelSan Juan Capistrano
Buena ParkFountain ValleyLaguna WoodsSanta Ana
CypressFullertonLake ForestSeal Beach
Dana PointGarden GroveLos AlamitosStanton
Fountain ValleyHuntington BeachMission ViejoTustin
FullertonIrvineNewport BeachVilla Park
Garden GroveLa HabraOrangeWestminster
Huntington BeachLa PalmaPlacentiaYorba Linda
IrvineLaguna BeachRancho Santa Margarita

Why use Phoenix Pumping for cooking oil disposal and grease trap cleaning?