Anti-fatberg project is unveiled in St Andrews
BY COLETTE CRAMPSEY THE home of golf is putting its drains on a diet as Scotland steps up its game in the fight against fatbergs.
St Andrews will trial a new regime which aims to substantially reduce the number of blockages in the sewer system caused by fat, oil and grease – referred to as FOG.
Incorrect disposal of food by homes and businesses leads to greasy waste that congeals and hardens in drains, causing large fatbergs which raise the chance of flooding and pollution.
Across the country, Scottish Water attend an average 95 blockages in the sewer systems every day – at a cost of £6.5million a year.
Now, the utility are piloting the Fat Free Sewer project in St Andrews, which will see every takeaway, cafe, restaurant and hotel visited by food waste management experts.
Businesses will be advised on the best ways to dispose of FOG and told if the grease management systems they have – if they have one at all – are sufficient.
Scottish Water’s Mike Will welcomed the “drain diet”, the first of its kind in Scotland.
He said: “Many blockages in our sewer network occur as a result of the incorrect disposal of fats and oils into the sewer system. The consequences on the environment can be huge.
“We are attempting to put St Andrews’ drains on a diet.”
St Andrews was picked for the six-month project because it is a university town popular with tourists and has more than 100 places serving food in a few streets.
If it succeeds, it is expected to be rolled out across Scotland.
It should help prevent huge fatbergs such as the one discovered in a sewer in Whitechapel, London, last year.
The 130-ton monster was made up of wet wipes, nappies, fat and oil and took three weeks to remove. The guitar used by George Harrison at the Beatles’ final Cavern Club gig in Liverpool has sold for £347,200 at auction in Corsham, Wiltshire.