Our sewer system is under strain as many of us use sinks and toilets to get rid of all manner of unflushable items. Cooking oil ends up in our drains along with items such as cotton buds and baby wipes, leading to unpleasant greasy blockages that can cause sewers to overflow. The blockages are costing Anglian Water alone £7m a year.
The costs are not just financial but also environmental. When blocked sewers overflow into a river, it reduces the oxygen in the water and can affect wildlife. It also increases carbon emissions because of the additional energy required to treat the waste.
So great is the problem that Anglian Water Services has been looking at creative ways to engaging the public and businesses working in the food industry.
Through its Keep it Clear campaign, it carried out in-depth research as to why people acted the way they did, giving the company a wealth of information about how to tailor awareness campaigns to different audiences. The campaign also worked with community leaders to spread the word, and free sink strainers to stop food waste going the drain were also handed out.
The result was a real success. Following a seven-week trial in Peterborough blockages fell by more than 80%. The model is now being rolled out to other "hotspot" towns and cities in the region.
Nicolette Fox is part of the wordworks network
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