About the Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG) Education Program:
The fat, oils, and grease (FOG) education program is a partnership between a corporate partner (REA) and the UConn Office of Service Learning to develop a FOG management program for the Metropolitan District of Hartford, Connecticut (MDC). The goal of the program is to reduce the costly negative impacts of improper fat, oil, and grease disposal on the city’s infrastructure caused by the 1,600 food service establishments (FSEs) in Hartford. In addition to educating FSEs on proper FOG disposal, REA plans to eventually collect FOG from FSEs for conversion to biofuels as means of removal from the waste stream while generating energy.
The first part of the program is an educational phase in which REA plans to make extensive use of UConn’s educational and human capital resources. REA is offering UCONN the opportunity to participate in a very large program of community outreach and service learning to support and maintain the critical infrastructure of Hartford. Upon completion and implementation of the educational program, UCONN can continue participating in the program as we develop regulatory enforcement tools, compliance databases, and engineering solutions for the final disposition of FOG in Hartford. Julia Yakovich, the Director of Public Engagement for this project and Director of Service Learning at UConn, is currently coordinating the UConn portion of this community and corporate partnership.
Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG) Education Program Website:
https://www.fogmanagement.net/
FOG Education Program phases:
Phase 1 – UCONN student surveying of Hartford Food Service Establishments
Phase 2 – Survey data collection
Phase 3 – Proper FOG disposal education
Phase 4 – REA collection of FOG
Phase 5 – Conversion of FOG into bio-fuel
Contact:
Julia Yakovich
University Director of Service Learning Initiatives
Wilbur Cross Building, Room i-104
Storrs Campus
860-486-4531
julia.yakovich@uconn.edu