Prevent blocked pipes and drains: It only takes an extra couple of seconds to safely dispose of fats, oils and greases by putting them in the bin

The recent heatwave and dry spells underlined the need for being careful about the way we use water. But how often do we think about what happens that used water after it goes down the ordinary kitchen sink?

We’re now being urged to spare a moment to consider the impact the incorrect disposal of fats, oils and greases (FOGs) has on our local environment.

Many people will have enjoyed barbeques during the summer. Chances are they may not have noticed how somebody, often the cook, cleaned the barbeque and got rid of accumulated fatty substances after an evening of grilling.

Generally, the surface is scraped clean and kitchen paper is used to gather up the mess which is then thrown in the bin. This cleaning method may be common practice when barbequing, but it isn’t always what people do in their kitchens.

A recent study found only 8% of people admit to disposing FOGs from their bbq down the sink, compared to 30% of people allowing the stuff from the kitchen down the sink. Rinsing everything such as dirty pots, pans and plates down the sink, instead of removing it first, can cause major issues along sewerage systems.

Fats and grease might seem like liquid when poured down the sink but, once cooled, they solidify along the wastewater pipes. This can cause blockages in homes, the public wastewater networks, and at treatment plants.

Blockages can lead to overflows of sewage that can damage the environment. When FOGs combine with wipes and other sanitary items that shouldn’t be flushed down the toilet so-called ‘fatbergs’ can form. This is seen daily in villages, towns and cities as Irish Water clears thousands of blockages from the wastewater network.

Irish Water and Clean Coasts have started a campaign to get people to correctly dispose of these fats at home. The advice is simple: always scrape any vegetable peelings, rice, pasta, food debris, fats, oils and grease from plates, pans and utensils into the bin.

Before washing the dishes, use a kitchen towel to wipe any grease left in pots and pans and put it in the bin. And use sink strainers in plugholes to stop food particles going down the sink, the advice continues.

Irish Water’s Think Before You Flush ambassador, Donal Heaney, says that, last year they responded to around 10,000 calls from customers about blockages in the wastewater network, which were leading to sewer overflows: “Removing fatbergs and blockages from our public sewers and cleaning up sewer overflows is a dirty job with nasty consequences."

Always a job for someone else, of course, but it could be prevented by putting all cooled fats, oils and grease in the bin.

Follow these tips to protect your pipes

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