Nearly one in five Tempe restaurants has enrolled in the Tempe Grease Cooperative. These business owners understand that membership is the best decision for their business, their community and their environment. Join the partnership and ENROLL TODAY!

What is the Tempe Grease Cooperative?

The Tempe Grease Cooperative (TGC) is an innovative partnership between the City of Tempe and its restaurants to better manage fats, oils and grease (FOG). It is the first program in the world in which a city brokers both pricing and service quality for grease trap and interceptor maintenance on behalf of community restaurants and food service establishments.

How do our members benefit?

Lower costs

Through the power of collective contracts established and administered by the city, the TGC provides members with a discount on service cost. On average, members save over 15 percent! Please click here to compare our pricing to see potential savings.

Service quality 

As the administrative arm of the Cooperative, the city holds contracted pumpers to the highest standard, ensuring top-quality service for TGC members. Proper cleaning and maintenance of grease traps and interceptors helps prevent backups and odors, and helps the device last longer. 

Repair support

As grease traps and interceptors age, repairs become an important factor in ensuring the functionality of grease devices. Upon first service, the city will perform a complimentary assessment of the device. If repairs are needed, visit the TGC has numerous resources to help you through it. 

Compliance assistance

Compliance with City Code can be as easy as receiving the scheduled service and paying the bill on time. TGC members are then assured compliance with all city requirements pertaining to grease traps and interceptors. This allows restaurants to focus on their core business function.

Used fryer oil (Yellow Grease) collection

Members have the option to get their fryer oil collected by one of the TGC's procured vendors, and members will receive a credit based on the amount produced. This credit will discount the price of grease trap/interceptor service. This valuable commodity is re-used as a sustainable fuel source! 

Voluntary enrollment

The Tempe Grease Cooperative is a voluntary program; any food service establishment may choose to join or withdraw at any time, with no fees and no contract. 

Awards and recognition

Crescordia Award, Governor's Award for Arizona's Future, Arizona Forward Environmental Excellence Awards (2016)

Silver Level Recognition, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, Voluntary Environmental Stewardship Program (2016)

J. Robert Havlick Award for Innovation in Local Government, Alliance for Innovation (2016)

Copper Level Recognition, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, Voluntary Environmental Stewardship Program (2015)

Award of Merit, Livable Communities (Public Policy/Plans) category, Arizona Forward Environmental Excellence Awards (2014)

A sustainable alternative

By partnering in the Tempe Grease Cooperative, member restaurants contribute to the sustainability efforts of the City of Tempe. Collectively, TGC members establish more sustainable plumbing and sewer infrastructure, creating a more livable city by reducing odors, public health and safety concerns, plumbing backups and sewer overflows, both at the individual restaurant level and community-wide. 

Beyond solving their own plumbing needs, TGC members are a critical part of the city's solution to solving larger environmental challenges:

• Clean, odor-free communities that is good for our restaurants and our environment.
• Members can rest assured that their FOG waste is properly managed, not illegally dumped.
• TGC Members are partners with the city in its pursuit of future opportunities to utilize FOG for the generation of renewable energy. 

What our partners are saying

The Tempe Grease Cooperative has the support of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, Arizona State University, and local Tempe restaurateurs who believe in doing the right thing for their business and the community. 

“The difference in service that we're getting is night and day.” 
       - Jason Brown, GM 
         Culinary Dropout 

“The Tempe Grease Cooperative is a perfect match for my business model...it has been a luxury that I would never want to have to change.” 
       - Daryle Dutta, Owner 
         Tempe Farmers Market 

“Tempe’s Grease Cooperative really is a 360 degree win. We are very excited about Tempe’s program” 
       - Henry Darwin, Former Director 
         AZ Department of Environmental Quality

“We are saving quite a bit of money per month…it’s easy to do, it’s a no brainer…it’s perfect.” 
       - Robert Trick, Owner 
         House of Tricks 

For more information contact: 480-350-2847; or grease@tempe.gov.  

Additional Links

Terms of Enrollment           Pricing          Printable Brochure

City Council Resolution          Rules and Procedures           Sewer Ordinance

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