Chips week sees fat-free sink

09/02/2006

When people feed on chips this week, sinks should be starved of chip pan grease.

This week is National Chips Week and Northumbrian Water’s Grease Monkey, Chips, is reminding customers how to dispose of chip pan fat and grease properly.

When fat, hot or cold, is poured down sinks and drains it causes many problems.  The fat cools, solidifies and builds up in the sewers creating blockages.  This can cause homes and gardens to be flooded and can also have a negative impact on the environment.

Chips’ way is the correct way to dispose of chip pan fat and grease.  Allow it to cool then scrape or pour it out into newspaper or an old cardboard box and put it in the bin.

Cleaning grease at just one big sewage treatment works costs about £50,000 a year.  Northumbrian Water has hundreds of sewage treatment works and over 15,500km of sewers to look after.

Joanne Dye, communications adviser, said: “Customers have put sewer flooding as a priority for Northumbrian Water’s five-year investment programme (2005 – 2010).  A total of £380 million is being invested on upgrading Northumbrian Water’s sewerage network from Berwick down to North Yorkshire across to the Pennines.

“Chips always works extremely hard to raise awareness to ensure people are disposing of their chip pan fat correctly.  When you are enjoying a plateful of chips think about what you will do with the used grease, put it in the bin.  Chips is watching, beware!”

Everyone can help Chips to prevent sewer flooding and protect the environment.  Stop fat and grease entering the sewers in the first place – dispose of chip pan fat and grease, food scraps and tomato sauce properly this week – put it in the bin!

For further information please contact Joanne Dye on 0191 301 6733.

Notes
Photo caption: Chips’ way or no way!  Starve your sink from chip pan grease