Keeping our waterways clear has to be a priority in 2025. Too many of us see it as ‘someone else’s problem’… but the truth is, it’s ours. By not protecting our waterways, we help create sewer blockages including fatbergs. These put pressure on pipes, which leads to bursts and spillages, which require manual intervention. The cost of which, comes from us.
Every time a road closure happens, spills require clean ups or pipes need replacement, it’s a combination of private and public money. We know we’d rather our local council’s spend money on other resources, such as filling in potholes, than facilitating road closures for fatberg removals.
In order to be part of the solution, you need to be avoiding these sewer monsters which contribute to over 90% of all UK blockages.
Flushable wet wipes and towelettes
We think, as members of Greenredeem, you’re well-versed with no longer flushing wet wipes. However we’re seeing growing concerns around wet wipes and in particular, the ones that deem themselves as flushable. They key part in this being that ‘they deem themselves as flushable’ – not those who care for our sewers.
Flushable wet wipes are misleading millions into contaminating and contributing to blockages. Remember, it’s not about the item fitting down the drains – that’s easy for most items. The problem is how it breaks down in water. If needs to break down in a water that it can easily be removed in a water treatment facility but that it also reaches the destination first.
A wet wipe can easily be fished out at a water treatment facility, but the likelihood of it reaching there is low. It’s more likely to get stuck to a sewer wall, pick up other bits of debris (that shouldn’t have bee flushed) and merge to make a giant fatberg.
If the wet wipe breaks down too much, the fibres are too small to collect in the water treatment facility and can cause more extreme process to be used in order to clean the water sufficiently – increasing the carbon footprint of clean water
You see… there really is no wet wipe in circulation that breaks down the same way as toilet paper – which is what our sewers and treatment facilities are designed to deal with.
Cooking oils, fats, lards and grease
All of these items are incredibly problematic. Think of them as a glue that holds all waste together, as well as glue that gets stuck on the walls of sewers. None of them should be poured into your drains and for good reason.
Have you ever left a cooking pan out for a few hours and allowed it to cool? All the cooking grease and oil solidifies in the pan and then you scrape it into the bin. Well, if you decide to rinse your pan in the sink while it’s hot. That congealed mess ends up blocking pipes in your sewer. The result? You guess it – more money and resource to fix problems that didn’t need to exist.
Other sewer monster items on the rise
There are a few more items we’re seeing pop up in the stats in recent months. More and more condoms and vapes are being flushed. We’re not sure why, neither of these products are promoted as flushable. But be sure to talk about it with those in your circle. Vapes are especially problematic in a sewer as if the battery becomes wet, it can catch on fire. That’s certainly not a tax payer bill we want to see happen!
If you’re unsure on any other item, feel free to get in touch. Although we like to keep things simple. Instead of thinking about what you can’t flush – focus on what you can. It’s just pee, toilet paper, and poo. Nothing more, nothing less. Protect your drains and keep the sewer monsters away!
