Giant fatberg clogs British sewer

A congealed mass of grease and wet wipes, the length of two tennis courts, points at unhealthy British diets and sanitary habits.

The fatberg found in a British seaside town measured 64 metres in length. Image: South West Water
The fatberg found in a British seaside town measured 64 metres in length. Image: South West Water

A congealed mass of fat, oil and grease held together with wet wipes has been retrieved from a sewer in the coastal town of Sidmouth in the United Kingdom.

The structure, known as a fatberg, is formed when items such as fat, wet wipes, sanitary towels, nappies and condoms, are flushed down sinks and toilets.

The fatberg, which is longer than two tennis courts, will take eight weeks to remove, an official from South West Water, the local water authority, told Associated Press.

Andrew Roantree of South West Water urged the British public not to pour grease down the drain or flush baby wipes down the toilet. He said: “Don’t feed the fatberg.”

This is not the first fatberg discovered in the UK. A larger one measuring 250 metres was found in the sewerage system in Whitechapel, East London, in 2017. That structure took nine weeks to remove.

Did you find this article useful? Join the EB Circle!

Your support helps keep our journalism independent and our content free for everyone to read. Join our community here.

Most popular

Featured Events

Publish your event
leaf background pattern

Transforming Innovation for Sustainability Join the Ecosystem →