Beware The Massive 'Fatbergs' That Lurk Beneath Our Streets

What is it that goes down your toilet drain? Feces, an old lunch, toilet paper? How about condoms, wet wipes, even baby diapers? That’s right - people do not mind what they throw down the chute when they flush the water.

All of this creates a unique species of monster that lurks in the sewers beneath the cities of the world. No, we are not talking about the pale, maniacal clown with glowing eyes that steals kids. These monsters are big, greasy, stinky and there are people that make a living getting rid of them. We are talking about the Fatbergs!

A fatberg is a congealed mass of the disgusting waste we discard down the drain - grease, fat, diapers, condoms and wet wipes are at the core. They clump up in the sewage system and can cause major blockage. They can grow up to 140 tons, like the one found in the London sewers. That monstrosity was 800 feet long, which is the same length as London’s Tower Bridge. Yikes!

Blockages like these have the potential to flood the streets with sewage. Luckily, cities employ workers known as “flushers”. These brave men are armed with shovels and high-powered jets to break these monsters apart and move them away.

These endemic species have been found in other cities as well, such as New York, Melbourne, and Belfast. New York City has spent nearly $20 million in its battle with these colossal globs of grease.

If you want to join in on the fight, you can start by wiping out the grease after cooking and tossing it in the trash, instead of pouring it down the drain. Of course, do not flush your wet wipes! They might say they are “flushable”, but they are the number one cause of these blockages. We don’t have to tell you about diapers and condoms, right?