Wet wipe symbol is new weapon in water chiefs’ battle to stem the fatberg tide
14 Jan 2019
Water industry leaders have launched a new ‘Fine to Flush’ accreditation standard for wet wipes in a bid to reduce the fatberg menace in UK sewers.
Organisations including Water UK and Anglian Water unveiled the motif which will identify wipes that do not contain plastic and are capable of disintegrating safely in drainage systems.
Rachel Dyson, Anglian Water Keep It Clear programme manager, said: “We’re really pleased that the water industry as a whole is launching this new flushability standard today.”
Those companies whose products pass the tests devised by Swindon-based WRc in collaboration with Water UK will receive the ‘Fine to Flush’ symbol to add to their packaging.
Remarked Dyson: “Most of these blockages are entirely preventable, but instead lead to devastating sewage spills, can harm the environment and … ultimately this cost is added onto customers’ water bills and would be better spent elsewhere.”
Within the UK sewage blockages caused by various hygiene products including wipes, tampons and cotton buds, but also food and other fats cost an estimated £100 million annually to clear.
In the Anglian region alone, the 800 tonnes flushed away are blamed for 32,000 out of 40,000 yearly obstructions and a bill of £15million.
Ultimately this cost is added onto customers’ water bills and would be better spent elsewhere
Rachel Dyson, Keep It Clear programme manager, Anglian Water
The problem has been acute in recent years, with record sized fatbergs identified. The most recent was the 64 metre Sidmouth fatberg – billed as being longer than the height of the Leaning Tower of Pisa – discovered this month.
It was dwarfed however by the capital’s notorious 250 metre, 130 tonnes Whitechapel fatberg, discovered in 2017 and part of which is on permanent exhibit in the Museum of London.
A study in the same year estimated that 93% of the material comprising causing blockages was comprised on non-flushable wet wipes, said Anglian Water.
“Wipes cause real problems in the sewer network and have a devastating impact on customers. Wipes are by far the worst culprit but cotton buds, tampons and fats also cause problems in the sewers,” commented Dyson.
