868 



PARKS 



houses, etc., always contain a considerable amount of organic matter which 

 is putrescible and will constitute a nuisance if allowed to accumulate. 

 The difficulties of disposal are increased by the large grease and soap con- 

 tent, but if the greater proportion of these substances is removed, kitchen 

 wastes can then be disposed of in much the same manner as bath water, 

 either by draining into a sewer, or by subsurface irrigation, or by means 

 of a soakage pit. It is not advisable to dispose of kitchen wastes in open 

 ditches unless these are well removed from the vicinity of the building or 

 buildings. 



A simple grease trap consists of a container filled with straw or a similar 

 material through which the greasy liquid is filtered into a small cooling 

 tank where the water is retained for a short time (Plate 347). The cooling 

 tank has an inlet near the top and the outlet well below the surface of the 

 liquid. As the water passes through the cooling tank the grease solidifies, 

 rises to the surface and can be skimmed off and burned or buried. A portion 

 of the grease is retained by the filtering material which is removed at inter- 

 vals and burned. Grease tends to clog the soil surrounding a soakage pit 

 or underground tiles, and thus interferes with absorption. It will also 

 decrease the efficiency of a septic tank. All kitchen fixtures which drain 

 into a septic tank, soakage pit, or subsurface irrigation field should be 

 equipped with grease traps. If the kitchen wastes are poured directly into 

 a soakage pit a grease pit can be placed on top of the pit (Plate 348). 



Disposal of garbage, rubbish and manure. Decomposing garbage is mal- 

 odorous and unsightly, and accessible garbage serves to attract flies to the 



Doorsj 



PLATE No. 347 



SKETCH OF GREASE TRAP AND SOAKAGE PITS FOR KITCHEN WASTES 

 The debris removed by A. The grease cools and solidifies in the first and second chambers. 



