The BBC reported today that Thames Water removed enough fat to fill nine of London’s iconic double-decker buses. The massive and messy clean-out project occurred in pipes under Leicester Square, and was the largest of its kind. The estimated 1000 tons of petrified fat are the unfortunate result of people pouring cooking fat down the drain. The fat-blockage has lead to flooding in 7,000 London homes yearly.
“We’re used to getting our hands dirty, but nothing on this scale,” said Danny Brackley, one of the water company’s sewer flushers. “We couldn’t even access the sewer as it was blocked by a four-foot wall of solid fat.” The members of the clean up crew were equipped with shovels and full breathing apparatus.
Apparently, an excess of fat isn’t just bad for our bodies, it’s also bad for our city infrastructure. In the body, excess fat damages arteries, leading to atherosclerosis and high blood pressure.
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