Thames Water has joined forces with renewables firm Argent Energy to investigate the possibility of transforming the congealed fats, oils and greases, commonly known as fatbergs, into environmentally-friendly fuel.

Under the plans, fatbergs would be dug out of the sewers and transferred to a specialist plant, where they would be processed with the fats, oils and greases, and transformed into bio-diesel. Other unflushable items such as baby wipes would be disposed of.

Describing the scheme was a “no-brainer”,  Simon Brum, strategic recycling manager at Thames Water said:

“We have a problem with fatbergs, both in sewer networks and at sewage treatment centres. Previously, what we’ve done is either extract the fatberg out of the pipes and send to landfill, or break it down and put it back through the system. Now we’re looking to see if we can use fatbergs in a clever way, and we’re working alongside Argent to do that.”

The project will run alongside the company’s ‘Bin it – don’t block it’ campaign, which aims to prevent fatbergs building up in the sewers in the first place.

Simon Brum added:

“We’re not going to instantly change everyone’s behaviour of binning things rather than flushing them – we’ve got to deal with the problem. We’re talking to field treatment works to get a better idea of where these fatbergs are, and if it is possible to use them. It’s about taking it out of the supply.”

If the plan works, it is hoped in the longer term that the bio-diesel produced could be used to power buses in the Thames Water area.