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South West Water's fatberg warning to avoid 'foul festive season' | South West Water's fatberg warning to avoid 'foul festive season' |
(2 months later) | |
A 50m (164ft) build up of hardened fat, oil and wet wipes - known as a fatberg - was found in a Plymouth sewer in December 2020 | A 50m (164ft) build up of hardened fat, oil and wet wipes - known as a fatberg - was found in a Plymouth sewer in December 2020 |
A 50m (164ft) build up of hardened fat, oil and wet wipes - known as a fatberg - was found in a Plymouth sewer in December 2020 | A 50m (164ft) build up of hardened fat, oil and wet wipes - known as a fatberg - was found in a Plymouth sewer in December 2020 |
A water company is urging people to avoid a "foul festive season" and stop fats, oils and grease from going down the sink which could cause fatbergs. | A water company is urging people to avoid a "foul festive season" and stop fats, oils and grease from going down the sink which could cause fatbergs. |
South West Water said a medium-sized turkey produced up to 0.75 pints (430ml) of fat which could block pipes. | South West Water said a medium-sized turkey produced up to 0.75 pints (430ml) of fat which could block pipes. |
If the company's one million households each poured that fat down sinks, the equivalent of more than 2,800 bathtubs of fat would enter sewers, it said. | If the company's one million households each poured that fat down sinks, the equivalent of more than 2,800 bathtubs of fat would enter sewers, it said. |
It said cooled fats should be collected in a container and then binned. | It said cooled fats should be collected in a container and then binned. |
In Plymouth, a 50m (164ft) fatberg was found in a sewer in December 2020 and removed in April 2021. | In Plymouth, a 50m (164ft) fatberg was found in a sewer in December 2020 and removed in April 2021. |
South West Water said it dealt with about 8,500 blocked sewers each year and it hoped to remind customers "this Christmas to help avoid a foul festive season and fight off fatbergs". | South West Water said it dealt with about 8,500 blocked sewers each year and it hoped to remind customers "this Christmas to help avoid a foul festive season and fight off fatbergs". |
'Tonnes of unflushables' | 'Tonnes of unflushables' |
Fatbergs can consist of build-ups of hardened fat and oil after they are put down pipes and then cool, potentially blocking them. | Fatbergs can consist of build-ups of hardened fat and oil after they are put down pipes and then cool, potentially blocking them. |
They also often include other items that have gone into sewers, including wet wipes. | They also often include other items that have gone into sewers, including wet wipes. |
Alan Burrows, director of environmental liaison and culture at South West Water, told BBC Radio Cornwall: "We pull out in the region of about 450 tonnes of unflushables like wet wipes as well, so it's not small beer, as it were." | Alan Burrows, director of environmental liaison and culture at South West Water, told BBC Radio Cornwall: "We pull out in the region of about 450 tonnes of unflushables like wet wipes as well, so it's not small beer, as it were." |
The company said it was urging people to scrape food scraps and fat off plates and into a bin or food waste recycling, and use a container to collect cooled fats, oils and grease from roasting trays and frying pans and then empty into a bin. | The company said it was urging people to scrape food scraps and fat off plates and into a bin or food waste recycling, and use a container to collect cooled fats, oils and grease from roasting trays and frying pans and then empty into a bin. |
South West Water provides water and sewerage services to Devon and Cornwall, plus parts of Dorset and Somerset. | South West Water provides water and sewerage services to Devon and Cornwall, plus parts of Dorset and Somerset. |
Follow BBC News South West on Twitter, external, Facebook, external and Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk, external. | Follow BBC News South West on Twitter, external, Facebook, external and Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk, external. |
Related topics | |
Cornwall | Cornwall |
Devon | Devon |
Dorset | Dorset |