Frequently Asked Questions

We bring the used cooking oil back to one of our facilities for processing. Once we've processed, cleaned, and tested it, we use the final product as an ingredient in animal feed and biofuel production.

Prices vary depending on your location and volume. Please call us at 1-855-TO-REDUX (1-855-867-3389) to schedule a meeting with one of our customer service representatives.

We'll do the first pickup when your bin is 75% full. Then we create your service schedule so that we're collecting the oil when it’s 80% full. But you can always rest assured we'll adjust based on actual needs.

No, there are no additional fees or costs.

All payments are made through Electronic Fund Transfers (EFT).

We offer a summer cleaning program. If the bin is leaking or in poor condition, one of our customer service representatives will replace it. If you're having an issue, please take photos of it and email them to info@reduxprogram.com so we can determine how to handle it.

Please call us at 1-855-TO-REDUX (1-855-867-3389) when the bin is 75% full. We'll dispatch a truck and set the date based on the drop-off date and the date you contact us. We'll adjust as needed to find the best pickup frequency.

Please take a few pictures of the leak and bin, and email them to info@reduxprogram.com. One of our service representatives will be in touch to discuss a solution.

It all depends on staffing and equipment availability in your location. In Edmonton, we don't have the staff and equipment to deliver the containers as a courtesy, especially since our service area covers a wide, multi-province area. If customers aren't within the Edmonton metropolitan area, we have to ship the bins through a third-party company.

Because of the large area we cover surrounding Edmonton, we aren't able to provide drums to our smaller customers. But we recommend working with a local eco-station to find a solution. Or contact a restaurant in the area that already uses our bin and get permission to dump your used cooking oil there—we're always happy to adjust pickup frequency to compensate for the extra volume.

Used cooking oil will always have an odour. But the intensity of the odour can vary for different reasons, and that’s what will determine whether or not we switch out the bin. The used oil naturally goes rancid after six months, so if there isn't enough volume to warrant a pickup before six months, we might downsize your bin to a drum if possible. If it isn't a frequency/volume issue, make sure other waste—like food, water or other prepared liquids—aren’t being added to the bin. If that’s the case, we may switch out the bin as a courtesy once, but continuing to add materials other than used cooking oil will cause the odours to return.

No, because the trays usually end up being more of a hazard. For example, during the winter, they freeze and stick to the bottom of the bins. Or they accumulate precipitation, causing the concentrated oil to leak over the edges, which goes into the sewers.

It's up to each customer to maintain the area, but we do offer to clean the exterior of your bin every year through our student program.

Yes, and we recommend it. If there are issues with sharing, try contacting your property manager and ask them to confirm in writing that they'll allow multiple containers for their tenants.

In your service agreement, it notes that cleaning and maintaining of bin/storage containers is the customer’s responsibility, which includes the screen. We recommend making sure you clean the grate on your bin regularly to avoid buildup. If you contact our team at info@reduxprogram.com, we’ll give you recommendations for tools and best practices for cleaning.

Every city has a minimum service frequency requirement. Redux keeps up to date on bylaws and regulations. We'll help make sure you meet the requirements for your municipality.

A grease trap is designed to capture and retain organic waste. It decomposes over time, which is what creates the smell. To minimize odours, check to make sure the gasket and lid fasteners are sealed and secure. Also, make sure the fixtures connecting the grease trap have P-traps that are full of water. If the smell persists, call us to service your grease trap more often.

There are a number of reasons why a grease trap might back up:

• The lid isn't fastened properly.
• The plumbing line downstream is blocked or partially blocked, causing the wastewater to flow slower than the material entering the grease trap.
• The outflow chamber of the grease trap is blocked or partially blocked, restricting the flow of waste out of the grease trap.
• The grease trap is full of FOG and solids, which causes the outlet and drain to become blocked.

Please let us know if you're having problems, and one of our trained service professionals can assess the issue.

Fat, oil, grease (FOG), and solids accumulate continuously, and the trap will reach capacity to handle the wastewater. Regular service of your grease trap means you're meeting city bylaws and keeping your FOG and solids count below the 25% threshold. Plus, it prevents expensive drain blockages, which can also disrupt your business operations. Regular cleaning also keeps the trap odours from escaping.

A grease trap is designed to slow the flow of wastewater and allow the separation of wastewater into three different forms: solids, water, and fats, oil and grease (FOG). The grease trap only discharges the water. The separation happens because FOG is lighter than water and floats to the top, while the solids are heavier and sink to the bottom. As the material slowly passes through the baffles, the FOG rises to the top, the solids drop to the bottom, and the clean water in the middle flows out of the trap to the sewer.

Redux technicians go through an extensive training program. When servicing a grease trap, our techs empty the trap from top to bottom. The FOG is removed first, then the water, and finally the solids. The technicians estimate and record the percentages based on these levels. During training, we use instruments to validate each technician’s review process to ensure accuracy.

No, but please contact our call centre at 1-855-TO-REDUX (1-855-867-3389) for a current list of the plumbing companies we recommend.

Items already in the lines before the service may have been displaced and are causing the block. Please contact a plumber if the problem continues.

It's pressure washing the lines to remove grease and foreign matter caught in the lines. It's more efficient than augering. Redux offers it in Vancouver. If you're in Alberta, we can provide a list of recommended plumbing companies who can perform the service.

Yes, but please keep in mind that you wouldn't be following the grease interceptor bylaws. Redux doesn't enforce bylaws—we can just advise you. There's a waiting period of about 48 hours so we can get your location on our route schedule.

If the sink is backing up, the trap usually isn't the problem. Your best bet is to call your plumber to snake the line from the sink to the trap.

We can, but that's usually not the problem. Traps don't overflow unless there's:

• an obstruction after the trap
• the trap hasn't been serviced in a very long time
• the outflow chamber hasn't been serviced

If the trap hasn't been cleaned recently, we'll service it. If that doesn't fix the issue, then we'll help you contact a plumber.

No, quotes are complimentary, and there's no charge for assessments.

Unfortunately, we can't. There are too many variables, including access, size, and condition of the trap. Our free assessments are done in person by a Redux customer service rep, who will also give you the quote. Once the agreement is done, we'll dispatch a Redux truck to service.

It takes anywhere from 15 minutes to one hour and depends on the size and the length of time between services.

No. We provide reports to the owner or tenant of the business. But if a health inspector requests a report, you'll need to give them one. We store all service records for quick access.

Redux will always follow the food waste hierarchy, which prioritizes food waste. We recycle the material into an ingredient for animal feed or biofuel production. At best, an organics company will just use the material for composting, which is only slightly better than landfill.

No, packaging or other garbage shouldn't be in the tubs because the materials we collect are used in pet and livestock feed. Any non-organic materials can be damaging to our processing equipment and potentially harmful to animals.

Prices vary depending on location. Please contact us at 1-855-TO-REDUX (1-855-867-3389) for more information.

Customers are responsible for keeping the bins clean. Larger fork bins are set up with drain plugs to make them easy to wash out. But we'll replace worn out or damaged containers as needed.

Redux services include:

• collection of used cooking oil
• grease trap cleaning service
• collection of pre-consumer byproducts and food waste

Yes, our customers sign a service agreement. Once you've done that, we can create your customer profile.

We provide safe, sustainable recycling options for restaurants, grocery and convenience stores, coffee shops, food manufacturing and processing plants, and farmers to dispose of their used cooking oil, grease, and organics. Find out more about our sustainable practices.

Giving back to the communities we live and work in is part of who we are as a company and individuals. Find out more about the organizations we support.

Our testimonials are from customers who have given us permission to publish their comments, but we also want to protect their privacy. If you’re an existing or potential customer, we can provide names upon request.