Effects of Poor Grease Management and FOG on Wildlife & the Environment

Poor grease management has significant consequences, impacting both wildlife and the environment and contributing to climate change. Let's explore these connections.

The smell of neglected grease traps attracts rats and other pests. This is a minor issue compared to the stench of fatbergs, which form in sewers when FOGs are improperly disposed of. These fatbergs trap sewage, leading to fermentation and decomposition, creating an even stronger stench that attracts and exacerbates vermin infestations.

Fatbergs also cause sewer overflows. When blockages occur, untreated sewage is often diverted directly into waterways. This introduces pathogens, threatening aquatic life. The decomposing sewage consumes oxygen in the water, suffocating fish and disrupting the entire ecosystem, as larger fish, birds, and mammals that prey on smaller fish are also affected.

Sewage overflows also have subtle side effects. Sewage is rich in phosphates and nitrates, which can cause eutrophication. This process leads to algae overgrowth, blocking sunlight from other aquatic plants. When the algae die and decompose, they further deplete oxygen levels, suffocating other plants and organisms that might naturally neutralise eutrophication.

The Thames serves as an example of both the damage and the potential for recovery. Pollution has had a lasting impact, eliminating species like salmon and being replaced by invasive ones. However, the Thames has been repeatedly polluted and cleaned. Each time, wildlife has returned after the water quality improved. This shows that ecosystems can recover if we address the problem.

While pollution can cause lasting damage, conservation efforts can make a difference. The Thames, after extensive cleanup, now supports diverse fish and invertebrates, attracting birds and mammals, including seals. Proper FOG disposal is crucial to maintaining this progress.

Poor grease management also plays a role in climate change. Wasting fats and oils through overuse or improper disposal has a carbon cost. Producing these resources requires energy and releases carbon into the atmosphere. Minimising waste by using only necessary amounts of oil and reusing leftovers is a simple step towards reducing this carbon footprint.

Improper disposal of FOGs down the drain leads to pipe blockages, often requiring chemical drain cleaners. These chemicals, like FOGs, are produced through energy-intensive industrial processes that contribute to carbon emissions. Preventing blockages by avoiding FOGs in sinks is another way to protect the planet.

Without passive grease traps or automatic grease traps (grease removal units), FOGs that enter sewers congeal and form fatbergs. Fatbergs slow sewage flow and contribute to overflows, releasing raw sewage into waterways. They also amplify sewage toxicity by trapping waste and other debris, creating an environment where harmful bacteria thrive and produce toxic byproducts.

Fatberg removal requires significant energy for jet hoses, lighting, and transportation of the removed material. This process generates emissions. Fatbergs also reduce the efficiency of sewage treatment, increasing the energy and chemicals needed. This results in a lower proportion of clean water and a higher proportion of sewage sludge.

Thames Water and Argent Energy's initiative to convert fatbergs into biodiesel is a positive step, offsetting some of the energy used in removal. However, preventing fatbergs from forming in the first place would be far more beneficial.

Fatbergs, composed of congealed FOGs, wet wipes, and other waste, block sewers. Climate change, specifically anthropogenic global warming (caused by humans), is driven by greenhouse gas emissions, primarily carbon dioxide and methane, which trap heat in the atmosphere.

Climate change intensifies the fatberg problem. Climate change disturbs weather systems. Increased rainfall, predicted to be a major impact of climate change in the UK, will overwhelm sewers clogged by fatbergs, leading to more frequent floods and raw sewage overflows.

Fatbergs also contribute to climate change indirectly. Cleaning chemicals used to unclog drains, the energy used for fatberg removal, and the less efficient sewage treatment all lead to increased emissions. The money spent on fatberg removal could be redirected to environmental initiatives.

Projects like the Thames Water/Argent Energy biofuel initiative can mitigate some of the environmental impacts of fatbergs, but preventing them from forming is the ideal solution. Investing in grease traps or GRUs is a crucial step in stopping FOGs and reducing their impact on the environment.