FATBERG GOES TO MUSEUM BUT GREASE REMAINS A DAILY PROBLEM

Part of a FATBERG that was discovered in the sewers of London is heading to one of the City’s museums. The Museum of London will house the monster piece of congealed fat this coming year. Described as one of the most fascinating finds of the year the Fatberg is the result of years of grease and wet wipes entering the city’s sewerage network.

With thousands of commercial and domestic kitchens pouring grease down the drain everyday it was only a matter of time before something got blocked. London for years has done very little to trap grease. Treating pipes with enzymes, chemicals and bacteria for years has not prevented the build-up of grease in the pipe network. According to Thames Water only around 10% of restaurants in London have grease traps, the device needed to stop grease at source. Out of those 10%, only a few are properly sized and even less properly maintained.

Grease Trap manufacturers FM Environmental Ltd explain that London is behind other major European cities like Dublin in terms of grease management. Dublin City Council has run a FOG (Fats, oils and grease) programme for the best part of a decade and has seen a very significant fall in grease related blockages. FM Environmental Ltd manufacturers the Grease Guardian automatic grease removal unit which traps and removes grease before it has a chance to enter the drains.

“Solving the problem requires commercial kitchen operators to be much more proactive in their approach to waste management” explains Grease Guardian manager Eamon Fitzpatrick “if everywhere implemented better grease management practices in their kitchens then museums really would be the only place you should find a Fatberg”.