That entire image is pretty interesting. I had never noticed a grease trap until last week, when I went to a little strip mall by a Sonic. I parked next to something that said, “Waste Kitchen Grease Only” and wondered whether that was new or something I just had never noticed. Next time I’ll look to see if anything is ON it. Photography – expanding what people see! 🙂
Hi Susan. There are more of these types of grease traps associated with restaurants these days. For years there was a 50 gallon drum they dumped grease in behind the restaurant, but now that bio fuel is a big deal, they are using grease traps like the one pictured to keep thieves from stealing the grease. Apparently, dealing in black market cooking grease is very profitable. I read an article that in large cities, grease thieves can make thousands of dollars a night stealing grease, and selling it the processors.
It’s really weird. Who would ever think that stealing used, stinky cooking grease would be a profitable criminal activity. Stealing bee hives is another criminal activity I didn’t realize is a real problem, also.
A case for spontaneous combustion … are those gas meters in the background? If they are, kitchen grease + natural gas may not be a good combination.
Refining (and I use that word very loosely) kitchen grease into a biofuel is a pretty dirty process – it produces more contaminants than refining crude oil. The small refinery making biofuel from kitchen grease that was located near Alamosa, in the San Luis Valley, was closed for groundwater contamination and surpassing limits on airborne contaminants.
Those are gas meters, several of them, behind the grease. Sometime they have two or three more grease traps out there. Apparently, grease refining is profitable enough to attract fairly sophisticated criminals to steal grease.
Off Center & Not Even 
Ah, Street Art! Hehe!
Yessiree. We have a lot if it downtown. Thanks, Inchcock
Amazing where shoes turn up sometimes.
It sure is. I noticed one of the shoes made it’s way to curb by a tree on 3rd street. The other one seems to have disappeared. Thanks, Teri!
That entire image is pretty interesting. I had never noticed a grease trap until last week, when I went to a little strip mall by a Sonic. I parked next to something that said, “Waste Kitchen Grease Only” and wondered whether that was new or something I just had never noticed. Next time I’ll look to see if anything is ON it. Photography – expanding what people see! 🙂
Hi Susan. There are more of these types of grease traps associated with restaurants these days. For years there was a 50 gallon drum they dumped grease in behind the restaurant, but now that bio fuel is a big deal, they are using grease traps like the one pictured to keep thieves from stealing the grease. Apparently, dealing in black market cooking grease is very profitable. I read an article that in large cities, grease thieves can make thousands of dollars a night stealing grease, and selling it the processors.
Thanks for that info. I had no idea…
It’s really weird. Who would ever think that stealing used, stinky cooking grease would be a profitable criminal activity. Stealing bee hives is another criminal activity I didn’t realize is a real problem, also.
A case for spontaneous combustion … are those gas meters in the background? If they are, kitchen grease + natural gas may not be a good combination.
Refining (and I use that word very loosely) kitchen grease into a biofuel is a pretty dirty process – it produces more contaminants than refining crude oil. The small refinery making biofuel from kitchen grease that was located near Alamosa, in the San Luis Valley, was closed for groundwater contamination and surpassing limits on airborne contaminants.
Those are gas meters, several of them, behind the grease. Sometime they have two or three more grease traps out there. Apparently, grease refining is profitable enough to attract fairly sophisticated criminals to steal grease.
Huh! Go figure? Very interesting shot.
Thanks, Resa!