Jon Cruddas MP for Dagenham and Rainham has been contacted by Thames Water about a campaign that they have been running called Bin it, don't block it. The campaign aims to stop people from pouring fat, oil and grease down the drain and flushing wet wipes down the toilet. Pouring fat, oil and grease down the drain and flushing wet wipes down the toilet mix together in the sewers creating disgusting "fatbergs" which blocks pipes and cause stinks.
These fatbergs can become so large it can cause sewage backing up in the sewers and finding its way onto roads, gardens and into people's homes. Every year around 8,000 customers of Thames Water are affected by sewer flooding caused by people putting the wrong things down the drain.
Thames Water have created a fat trap in order to stop fats and grease from blocking people's pipes. It helps to keep your pipes flowing by collecting leftover cooled cooking fat. The fat trap is a box which includes instructions on how to assemble, use and dispose of the fat trap. They recommend that in order to stop sewage flooding from happening in your home; only put flushable materials in your toilet. In the kitchen either use their fat traps or use something like an old jam jar, yoghurt pot or margarine tub to collect cooled cooking fat and oil.
Handling hot fats and oils can be very dangerous and can lead to serious burns so wait until the cooking fat has cooled before disposing it. For more information, you can visit their website http://binit.thameswater.co.uk/ where you find tips on what to bin etc.