Fats, Oils & Grease
lease don’t put leftover fat and oil down the plughole – it can result in untreated sewage ending up on our beaches!
Sewers clogged up with fat, stops wastewater reaching treatment works and can ultimately result in untreated sewage ending up on our beaches and in the sea.
Fats, oils and grease – FOGs for short – can cause major problems in pipes, drains and sewers. This waste congeals to form blockages which can lead to flooding in homes and pollution in our seas.
If leftover fat from cooking the Christmas dinner goes down the sink, even with hot water and washing up liquid, it soon sets hard in the cold pipes. When it mixes with other unflushable items, such as wet wipes and sanitary products, it creates what is known as a Fatberg.
Fatbergs can be enormous – they clog the sewerage pipes and stop the waste water reaching the treatment works as intended. This means the risk of sewage spilling out into homes, streets, rivers and seas is substantially increased.
Making sure that fats and oils stay out of your dishwater, and away from your sink, may seem like a strange ask from a marine charity, but if everybody made that small change it could make a big difference to our seas and beaches.
Blocked pipes increase the risk of sewers overflowing during heavy rainfall, allowing untreated sewage to spill into the streets and sea bad news for the environment, wildlife and anybody who wants to enjoy a dip at the beach
How to get rid of FOGs safely
Pour oil into a heat resistant container then recycle or bin once cooled.
Wipe out greasy pans with kitchen roll before washing.
Catch greasy food scraps in a sink strainer to make sure they don’t go down the plughole.
