Roto-Rooter Franchise Convicted of Grease Dumping

The owner of a Roto-Rooter franchise in Mobile, Alabama has been found guilty of 33 counts of violating the Clean Water Act for dumping restaurant grease into the sewer system.

Prosecutors alleged that Roto-Rooter drivers, with the knowledge and approval of Smith and Wilmoth, regularly collected removed grease from traps at restaurants and catering businesses in the Mobile area and dumped it into the sewer system rather than hauling it to sewage treatment plants.

Michael Edington, a former driver who has pleaded guilty to his role in the alleged conspiracy, testified at trial that during training, the grease dumping was called the "Roto-Rooter way." [via al.com]

The convicted franchisee Donald Gregory blamed the whole sordid affair of methodically polluting and sabotaging Alabama’s sewer lines all on one really bad hiring choice, former driver Michael Edington.