100m long fatberg uncovered in sewer in east London as officials warn of pouring turkey grease down the drain
It is believed to be the 'grandchild' of the now infamous 2017 Whitechapel fatberg that was 250 metres long and weighed 130 tonnes
Officials are warning people against pouring turkey grease down their drains this Christmas after a 100 tonne 'fatberg' was discovered in Whitechapel.
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The newly discovered fatberg is a solid mass of congealed fats, oils, grease and non-flushable waste that is estimated to stretch for around 100 metres and weigh approximately 100 tonnes.
It is believed to be the 'grandchild' of the now infamous 2017 Whitechapel fatberg that was 250 metres long and weighed 130 tonnes, making it the same weight as about 11 double-decker buses.
It was largely made up of oil and baby wipes.
A fatberg occurs when cooking fats, baby wipes, and other sanitary products are flushed down toilets or tipped down drains.
They congeal together to make a solid mass that causes a blockage.
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The new fatberg is believed to be made up of congealed fats, oils, grease and non-flushable waste.
Tim Davies, Head of Waste Operations for North London at Thames Water, said: "This latest fatberg shows exactly what happens when fats, oils and wipes go down our drains- they don’t disappear, they build up and cause serious damage. The cost of clearing blockages and repairing sewers runs into tens of millions of pounds every year, and that money ultimately comes from our customers."
Fat, oils and grease cause more than 20,000 blockages every year across the Thames Water network, accounting for 28 per cent of all sewer blockages.
There is a seasonal rise in the number of blockages in December and January which costs the network more than £2 million to clear.
These blockages are the leading cause of internal flooding in the home.
Mr Davies added: "This Christmas, keeping fat, oils, gravy and cream or custards out of sinks and only flushing the three Ps (pee, poo and toilet paper) is a simple action that can help prevent flooding, pollution and millions of pounds in avoidable costs. Now this fatberg has been discovered, we will prioritise its extraction, which could take weeks to complete."
They recommend letting hot oil cool before scraping it into the bin or consider storing it in a container to take to the local recycling centre.
They also urge people to avoid pouring boiling water or bleach down the drain as this only moves the problem further down the pipes and does not resolve the issue.