When opening a new restaurant, many owners focus on food and service but forget one important thing: the grease trap. This small system under your sink or outside your kitchen is required by law, and if you ignore it, the penalties can be serious.

Water Services Industry Act 2006

Malaysia’s Water Services Industry Act 2006 (Act 655) clearly says it is illegal to throw fats, oils, grease, or food waste into drains or sewers. Section 61 of the Act makes it an offence to discharge “any prohibited effluent” or any matter that can damage the sewer system. If caught, you may face fines up to RM100,000, jail for up to one year, or both.

Section 61(1) states:

No person shall discharge into or allow to be discharged into any public sewer or public sewage treatment works
(a) any prohibited effluent, without the approval of the Commission;
(b) any noxious, volatile or inflammable substance or any other matter likely to damage or impair the functioning of any public sewer or public sewage treatment works or to interfere with the free flow of its contents or to affect prejudicially the treatment or disposal of its contents; or
(c) any effluent, matter or substance from a garbage grinder or such other device determined by the Commission, without the approval of the Commission.

Section 61(2) then sets the penalty:

Anyone who contravenes this commits an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding RM100,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or to both.

You may download the Water Services Industry Act 2006 pdf here for further reading. In short, you cannot pour grease trap waste into drains. 

Why Grease Trap Cleaning Is Important

If you don’t clean your grease trap:

• Your kitchen pipes can block and wastewater can flow back.
• Smelly odors will spread and drive customers away.
• Grease buildup can cause fire risk.
• Rats and cockroaches may appear, leading to health fines.
• Your restaurant can be shut down for non-compliance.

Grease Trap Do’s and Don’ts

Do

• Hire contractors to clean your grease trap regularly.
• Train staff to throw food scraps into bins, not sinks.
• Keep cleaning records for inspections.
• Check the trap often to avoid overflow.

Don’t

• Don’t pour oil or sauces into the sink.
• Don’t dump grease trap waste into drains or toilets.
• Don’t ignore bad smells or slow drainage, it’s a warning sign.

Grease Trap Cleaning Services

For F&B owners, grease trap upkeep is not optional. It protects your license, your reputation, and the environment. Local councils and Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) recommend monthly or bi-monthly cleaning. 

That’s why many restaurants now choose FTH Solutions Grease Trap Cleaning Services. With a subscription plan, cleaning is scheduled automatically, so you never forget. This takes the burden off restaurant owners and keeps your kitchen compliant, safe, and worry-free.