Fat-free festivities

22/12/2006

Keep pipes fat-free this Christmas by starving sinks and drains of festive turkey fat.

Northumbrian Water’s Grease Monkey, Chips, reminds people how to dispose of turkey fat properly during the Christmas period.

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, having a negative impact on the environment.

Chips explains that the correct way to dispose of Christmas turkey fat and grease is his way!  Allow it to cool then scrape or pour it out into newspaper or an old cardboard box and put it in the bin or feed it to garden birds.

Stop fat and grease entering the sewers in the first place – dispose of meat and turkey fat, food scraps and brandy sauce properly this Christmas – put it in the bin!

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.

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.

An alternative to putting turkey fat in the bin, give garden birds a festive treat this winter and ensure they receive the energy they need to survive the bitterly cold weather.

Garden birds struggle to find food during the winter months.  Birdcakes can be made with solidified grease mixed with birdseed, raisins and chopped peanuts and hang from trees or crumble on bird tables.