Now I think I can say right at the beginning that I do not agree with banning wet wipes – I am one of those households that relies on them. I use kitchen, bathroom and baby wipes every day. Every week. But what I do not understand is how people can flush them down the toilet? That I DO NOT agree with and completely support any proposals the government may have.
You may remember last February our play room was ruined due to a sewage leak which had come up from the other properties in our terrace. We are the end terrace and Anglian Water said when it gets stuck up the pipe, the only place it can go is down the pipe. So a household in our terrace had blocked the pipes. It turns out there was a Fatberg in the pipe that had been caused by a mass pile up of wipes!
What is a fatberg?
Fatbergs are formed when non-biodegradable items such as wet wipes, sanitary products and nappies are flushed down toilets and combine with fats, oil and grease (FOG) to create vast masses that are blocking the nation’s sewers. Isn’t that disgusting? Who on earth thinks “I know what I will do with this nappy, I will flush it down the toilet”? It’s insane. I can understand that people do not realise wipes will block the pipes as they clog up. But nappies! I am in disbelief.
Apparently in a survey of 1000 people*, 31% admitted to flushing wipes down the toilet. The thing that shocked me is that 75% of the people surveyed understood, or were aware of what flushing these horrible things down the toilet can do. SO WHY ARE THEY DOING IT?
It’s not difficult is it – use the wipe and put it in the bin?
I guess if the only way to completely stop this from happening is to ban them, then I would be for it. But I would like to hope that someone out there is currently working on a biodegradable wet wipe to make it convenient and safer to get rid of.
Lanes Group PLC came up with this information graphic, I remember the Whitechapel Fatberg in the news. 130 tonnes of wipes and FOG had built up and up until it blocked the pipes.
What do you think? Should they ban wipes? Or should people just be more aware and stop flushing them down the toilet? I would love to know your thoughts in the comments below or on social media: @mummyconstant.
*Survey completed by Lanes Group PLC.
