A Wolseley cafe owner who won his battle to operate his business without a grease trap has lost a second lobby to remove the conditions of that exemption.

Specifically, council’s water and waste committee ruled Monday that the Neighbourhood Bookstore and Cafe must continue to use disposable plates and cutlery to prevent washing grease down the drain.

“(Grease) can cause damage in the sewers and that’s why (the rule is) there,” said Moira Geer, the city’s acting water and waste director. “All new waivers have the exact same requirement.”

Geer noted grease traps protect sewers from fat, oil and grease that hardens as it cools. That can stick to the inner lining of sewer pipes and create a blockage or even sewer backups. Geer said even restaurants that don’t fry or grill, such as the bookstore, still produce too much grease to safely wash down the drain.

The water and waste committee unanimously denied the appeal of the condition, partly out of concern it could set a precedent.

“We don’t want the grease going into the sewer system because that has very serious sewer risks,” said Coun. Brian Mayes (St. Vital), who chairs the committee. “If we were to grant this appeal, every restaurant could come to us and say a) we want an appeal and b) we’ll also appeal the conditions of the (exemption).”

Over seven years fighting the grease trap requirement, Fugler has maintained that he doesn’t believe his business needs the device. He even shut down his cafe for four months to avoid it, arguing the installation would cost thousands of dollars.

“If we needed a grease trap, we’d do it immediately ... We have several plumbers, we have (some) city employees coming in and telling us that it doesn’t apply to us, that it’s not necessary,” he said.

The cafe re-opened in December to serve coffee, tea and cakes, after the city offered an exemption with the disposable dish requirement. Fugler said his opposition to that condition is primarily due to the cost and environmental impact of disposable dishes.

“We now produce five times the (amount of) garbage. We produce a huge amount of disposable garbage that we don’t need,” said Fugler.

Fugler says he’s also had a tough time restoring staffing levels without a full menu.

“We don’t make a lot of money. We kind of break even,” he said.

However, Fugler said he doesn’t plan to fight the appeal any further.

The business owner is still battling the city in court over $7,000 worth of fines and legal fees linked to the grease trap dispute.