. from the Foundation for Water Research www.fwr.org Issue 3, August 2016 Welcome to the summer issue of the FWR Newsletter A few years ago Britain’s biggest ever ’fatberg’ was removed from a sewer under Kingston upon Thames. This was a single, congealed lump of fat mixed with wet wipes which weighed over 15 tonnes! As Thames Water said at the time ‘Homes and businesses need to change their ways when it comes to fat and wipes: Bin It – Don’t Block It.’ Rachel Dyson from Anglian Water has written our lead article on FOG (fats, oils and grease). Pipe blockages cost UK water companies A manhole full of Fats, Oils and Grease an estimated £88m in 2012–13. A further surprising fact is that around 80% of pipe blockages are avoidable, simply because they are caused by the build-up of FOG and non-flushable items. In her article, Rachel argues that putting a price on FOG for reuse is one of the key ways to ease the situation. Rachel Dyson Programme Manager, Anglian Water In his Wastewater Matters piece, Steve Bungay also refers to recycling in terms of innovation being central to making a FOG ‘circular economy’ work successfully. AN INCREASING PROBLEM Reports from various recent confer- ences are also included in this issue. For information on events and news AND OPPORTUNITY highlights please go to our website www.fwr.org. You can also contact us via O MOST PEOPLE, fog means changeable nasty email ([email protected]) or telephone weather but for water companies the issue of FOG (01628 891589). T(used fats, oils and grease) is totally different, Maxine Forshaw - Editor though just as difficult to predict and just as challenging. Every day, householders and businesses wash FOG. According to data shared by all UK water THIS ISSUE thousands of litres of used cooking oil and FOG and wastewater companies, there were 366,000 (fats, oils and grease) down sinks. In its liquid blockages in 2012–13, at an estimated cost of Fats, Oils and Grease form it may look harmless, but as hot fat cools £88m, 80% of which were avoidable costs. – An increasing problem and opportunity it solidifies quickly and becomes hard and sticks However, those are only the incidents dealt by Rachel Dyson, Programme Manager, Anglian Water 1 to the inner lining of pipes. In addition, it binds with by water companies and a tiny fraction of Sludgetech 2016 4 with everyday items like wipes, cotton buds and the overall extent of the problem. In addition, UK AD and Biogas conference 4 sanitary waste which are flushed down toilets. around one in five of us are likely to have called Wastewater Matters 5 Over time, the FOG and the non-flushable a plumber to unblock a drain in the past year, Potable Water Disinfection 6 items can build up and stop water flowing costing on average £66 but in some areas the Innovation Day 2016 at WRc 7 freely, causing blocked pipes and pumps, sewer cost can be as high as £240 or more. Plus, FWR News 8 flooding and pollution. further downstream there is the problem of Latest Publications 8 It is estimated that 80% of all pipe blockages blocked pumps at the pumping station as well as are avoidable as they are caused by this the costs of internal and external flooding and accumulation of non-flushable products and pollution incidents caused by FOG blockages. sizing and siting of grease sepa- section 111 of the Water Industry rators and the frequency and Act 1991, it is a criminal offence effectiveness of bacteriological to discharge ‘any matter likely dosing. Food serving establish- to injure the sewer or drain, to ments have a high turnover of interfere with the free flow of its staff, and grease management contents or to affect prejudicially training, although essential, is the treatment and disposal of its not consistent and is often over- contents’. Yet it can be extremely looked. Simple measures, how- difficult to attribute the presence ever, can minimise discharges of FOG in a sewer to specific of FOG. Staff training should premises which makes it hard encourage good kitchen prac- to get sufficient evidence for a tice, including scraping and dry successful prosecution. wiping grease and food waste Water companies have pow- from plates and pans into waste ers of entry to inspect premises Fatberg pulled from a burst 6 inch sewer in Cambridgeshire bins before they are washed. known or believed to be dis- Caterers are now reminded to charging trade effluent. Howev- The sewer network plays one of Sainsbury’s has realised the manage food waste legally and er, sewerage undertakers have the most important roles in the importance of helping its cus- safely to help prevent fats, oils collectively decided not to clas- protection of public health. Yet tomers prevent FOG blockages and grease from blocking sinks, sify waste from food premises it is in need of some protection and, by working closely with pipes and drains as part of the as trade effluent, which inhibits itself. Proactive policing of what water companies, it has run a Food Standards Agency’s Safer their legislative powers. The UK goes into every toilet and sink national Christmas FOG aware- Food Better Business updated water industry has been work- is, of course, an impossible task. ness campaign for the last two food hygiene regulations. ing with Defra under the ‘Red Water companies have little years. The retailer has also tri- Many food premises pride Tape’ challenge to introduce a control over what is discharged alled a used cooking oil collection themselves on their FOG retriev- ‘light consent’ for food serving into the sewer network, yet are scheme at stores in Scotland al techniques used in the cook- establishments that repeatedly responsible for its performance. and Blackpool. Following suc- ing process. Whilst it is a legal abuse the sewer by letting FOG The challenge is to change cess in these areas, and again requirement for food business- enter the sewer network with no attitudes and persuade house- working in partnership with re- es to produce a Waste Trans- grease management in place. holders and businesses that it gional water companies, Sains- fer Note, indicating that waste Work around this has, however, is beneficial for us all to make bury’s is looking to extend this oil has been taken away by a currently been put on hold. sure FOG does not escape scheme to further stores across into the sewerage system. In the UK where it will sit alongside a world of dwindling resources existing recycling facilities. and promotion of a circular For recycling to be a suc- economy, universal recycling cess it must be incorporated of used cooking oil as a source into everyday life and made of renewable energy should be easy for people to action. With- encouraged. out doubt, clear messaging For householders, the mes- such as the Waste & Resources sage is simple: ‘never put used Action Programme’s Love Food cooking oil and fat down the Hate Waste campaign wins sup- sink, recycle it’. With an esti- port. In comparison, the more mated 130 million tonnes of complex information for used Wash sink at food premise, St Ives, Cambs used cooking oil available from cooking oil disposal means that UK homes, the potential is huge. an efficient route for house- registered waste carrier, this Nationally, water and sew- However, the pitiful amounts hold FOG recycling remains an does not provide proof that all erage companies are working available from individual homes unsolved dilemma. FOG is being properly managed. collectively to learn from each make it unviable to provide By far the biggest challenge is During recent inspections, an In- other with regard to utilisa- convenient door-to-door collec- the large quantities of FOG pro- dian restaurant produced paper- tion of third party organisations tion services amongst all but a duced in the commercial sector. work indicating that 10 litres of to assist with FOG manage- few pioneering local councils, We now eat out more often, with waste oil had been collected – but ment; they are also looking at such as Oadby and Wigston in greater reliance on fast food. records showed around 10 times internal enforcement processes Leicestershire. The more com- The number of restaurants, that amount should have been that can be applied based on the Produced by FWR © 2016 Produced by mon approach of relying on cafes, takeaways, supermarket expected, to match what was relevant laws. A number of wa- people to take used cooking oil rotisseries and work canteens is bought in. ter companies have recovered to a household waste recycling estimated to be around 575,734 More often than not, it is the the costs from food serving centre has limited appeal unless nationally, according to data prep sinks, pre-rinse sinks, dish- establishments associated with the site is nearby. Meanwhile, from Caterlyst (January 2016), washers, washing machines, wok repeat FOG blockages and South Norfolk Council, and a and rising. cookers, chip storage bins and related incidents, and one pros- handful of others, have estab- Food premises lack clear disposal of FOG to floor drains ecution of a food premise has lished local collection points but advice about what to do with which are left unprotected. been successfully made with low yield attracts little enthu- waste FOG. There is still too much What is not in dispute is the other water companies looking to siasm among waste collectors confusion about the use and fact that deliberate disposal of follow suit. targeting greater profits else- maintenance of effective grease waste FOG into the sewerage Under this collaboration, where.