How to get rid of unwanted fat

This is not another fad diet or latest craze in fitness regimes. It is straightforward advice about good housekeeping from the UK’s largest independent drainage specialist, Lanes for Drains.

And Lanes should know: the company is called out to around 20,000 drainage blockages across the UK every year; 23% of which could be avoided if we stopped putting fat, oil and grease down our drains.

The problem applies to both commercial and domestic users, but for businesses, it has wider reaching implications than localised blocked drains: there may be legal repercussions.
If your negligence causes a pollution incident or if you are found to be in direct contravention of The Water Industry Act 1991; Environmental Protection Act 1990 Duty of Care or the Environmental Protection Act 1990 Statutory Nuisance, you could find yourself on the wrong side of a prosecution.

Says Alan Wallis, director of Lanes: “People think that fat simply washes away down the sink with hot water, but as it cools in the drain, fat, oil and grease solidifies. It coats the inside of the pipe, which, with more and more fat build-up, will gradually lose its flow capacity. The end result is blocked drains.

“In a domestic situation, scraping food residue into the bin before washing plates, and ensuring that any unwanted fat, oil and grease goes into the waste bin rather than down the sink or drain, is all it takes to avoid the sort of situation you see in this photograph.

“For commercial kitchens though, there may be a case for fitting a grease trap or interceptor. This will separate the fat, oil and grease from the rest of the wastewater, retaining it for removal by a licensed waste operator, whilst the rest of the wastewater flows out to the sewage works for treatment as normal.”

To talk to Lanes about getting rid of unwanted fat, call 0800 526 488.