Problem: People pour old motor oil and other toxic chemicals down storm drains. The current solutions are spray-painted warnings and hefty fines. Unfortunately, the paint wears off (into the drain), incurring an ongoing maintenance cost, and the fines are applied only after the fact. Moreover, the warnings are usually in English and don’t work in multilingual communities.

The Gratefish drain uses a universally understandable symbol to communicate the consequences of pouring motor oil (or other chemicals) down storm drains. The playful shape of the fish communicates the message with a positive tone.