Five Facts About Fatbergs And Why You Should Care.

The latest monster fatberg in Hodge Hill Birmingham is estimated to be 1m high, 1000m long and 300 tonnes in weight. The huge concrete-like mass of fat, oil and grease is estimated to take over a month to clear. As one of the leading providers of grease management solutions for commercial kitchens we thought we’d outline some facts about fatbergs that may help us reduce the prevalence of fatbergs in the country.

Fatbergs are a combination of fat, oil and grease and also non-biodegradable items such as wet wipes. They form within the slower moving parts of the main sewer network and build-up over time. Fatbergs are not soft, they are solid masses with a texture similar to concrete. Fatbergs can lead to a total sewer blockage which causes raw sewage to spill from drains into streets and homes causing public health problems.

What people may not know is that many sewer networks have in-built overflows. These are called Combined Sewer Overflows. These are ‘release valves’ within the network to allow sewage to go into a river rather than cause a back-up in the main sewer network. CSOs are designed to be used in emergencies but the creation of Fatbergs restricts sewer flow meaning that the network capacity is reduced and thereby the CSOs are activated. CSOs cause raw untreated sewage to be discharged into Rivers.

“As little as 2mm of rainfall can trigger a discharge of untreated sewage into the River Thames”

Source: https://www.tideway.london/

Clearing fatbergs from sewer networks is difficult and dangerous work for sewer engineers. Disruption caused by roadworks and temporary drainage connections affects whole communities.

Simple housekeeping practices can help prevent fatbergs. Wipe cooled-fats from pots and pans with kitchen towel and put in the waste bin. Never use hot water to liquify fats so they wash down the drain – they will just reform further down the pipe. Remember never pour oils or fats down the drain.

Restaurants and food service establishments need to have effective grease removal equipment in place. Filta have put together a grease management handbook to help you.

For more information about our commercial kitchen grease management services and products to help fight the fatberg then give us a call now on 08452 022 999 or contact us online today!