EPA Files Lawsuits to Stop Sewage Overflows -- Environmental Biotech Offers Expertise to Restaurants and Cities in Need.

Business Editors

SARASOTA, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 6, 2002

Grease clogged sewers are causing environmental damage and high costs for private business, government and the public. These clogged sewers can result in Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSOs), which occur when raw, untreated sewage spills out onto streets, lawns and into public waterways. In fact, SSOs cause more water pollution than any other source. The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that 40%-70% of SSOs are caused by food grease. The primary source of this problem: restaurants and other food service facilities. The solution: a liaison between restaurants and regulators, such as Environmental Biotech(R)(EB).

Sewer Crisis Impacts Restaurants

Empowered by the Clean Water Act of 1972, the EPA is taking legal action to force cities to solve this problem. Already, lawsuits have been filed against Atlanta, Baton Rouge, Cincinnati, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Mobile and San Diego, among others. The costs of controlling SSOs and meeting EPA requirements can be astronomical. Since 1992 Atlanta has been fined more than $23 million for SSOs by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and expects to spend more than $1 Billion to upgrade its sewer system. Many other cities face similar costs as well as limited financial resources.

Consequently, more and more municipalities are enacting highly restrictive ordinances regulating the output of grease from restaurants and other food service facilities. These regulations transfer the burden of controlling sewer grease to the restaurants, resulting in higher costs, paperwork, and major operational changes for restaurants.

As municipalities have tightened wastewater regulations affecting restaurants, Environmental Biotech, a 12-year old Sarasota, Florida based company, has become increasingly active as a liaison between the restaurants and the regulators. Bill Hadley, President and CEO of Environmental Biotech, Inc. says, "Wastewater professionals have traditionally received very little, if any, formal training in the science or the practical issues concerning sewer grease. This is partly because there has been very little meaningful research performed in this area and authoritative information is difficult to find."

Hadley continues, "The legal and financial pressure on wastewater authorities is becoming so intense that new regulations are often enacted with little effect. In many cases, these regulations are punitive and unnecessarily penalize restaurants; failing to actually solve the problem of sewer grease accumulation causing sanitary sewer overflows."

Sewer Solutions from Environmental Biotech

EB is one of a handful of companies that have specialized in the dilemma of sewer grease, and it is becoming the acknowledged expert in this field. Ten years ago EB began to offer an educational seminar to wastewater professionals, the Grease Summit(TM). Many course participants have recognized this training as the best and most comprehensive education available for this issue. The EPA itself contacted EB to write the technical portion of the official EPA course on grease pre-treatment.

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Division of Water Pollution Control has produced the first statewide grease pre-treatment and control regulation. Hadley, an active member on this board, says, "This statewide standard is a major step forward in creating rational and effective strategies to address the sewer grease problem in a fair and consistent manner."

In addition to easing regulatory burdens, Environmental Biotech offers a wide range of operational solutions for food service facilities. EB's core business is providing comprehensive drain system management and odor control solutions. EB services include on-going, predictive maintenance programs and 24/7 emergency service. EB solutions help foodservice operators focus on running their businesses while EB takes care of the drain system and odors - as well as helping to comply with grease control regulations.

About Environmental Biotech

Environmental Biotech is a comprehensive drain system management and odor control company serving thousands of clients throughout the United States and 10 foreign countries through a network of service centers.