MP Supports Recycling of Fats, Oils and Greases
In a debate in the House of Commons yesterday, North East Herts MP Oliver Heald backed the recycling of fats, oils and greases. Recalling the severe flooding suffered by residents of Burns Road in Royston when their drains were blocked by a build up of 10 tonnes of fat, Oliver made the case for wider public information in the House of Commons.
After praising a campaign run by Anglian Water to encourage local restaurants and takeaways to dispose of the fats and greases responsibly, Oliver appealed to businesses and the general public saying, “This is an issue of solidarity between people in a town. If the result of a build-up of fats, oils and grease is that people’s homes are flooded, everybody has a duty to act responsibly.”
Later Oliver commented, “In the end if we don’t look out for each other we are all going to end up paying higher water utility bills. Everyone has a responsibility to make sure they are not pouring fat down the drains.
I am backing the national campaign to recycle fats, oils and greases to help to avoid another Burns Road flood somewhere else.”
Oliver Heald supporting Anglia Water's Fats, Oils and Greases event
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Contact: Martin Jee, Parliamentary Assistant to Oliver Heald MP, 020 7219 4478
Notes to Editors
Oliver’s comments in the House:
Mr. Oliver Heald (North-East Hertfordshire) (Con): I want to make one brief point in support of my hon. Friend the Member for St. Albans (Anne Main), whom I congratulate on obtaining this important debate. It relates to what happens if we do not recycle cooking fats, oils and greases. In my constituency in Royston, we have a thriving night-time economy. There are 30 places in which one can go out to eat a meal. In fact, there is one for every day of a typical month. Many of the restaurants, particularly the newer take-aways, use fats not just for chips but for any manner of stir frys and other meals. The proprietors of such establishments do not want to cause any environmental problem and would like to be responsible, but the issue is not something that has been adequately highlighted.
In Royston, the main town drain became very blocked with fats, oils and greases. About two years ago, we had a flood that damaged a number of homes. A number of people had to leave their houses while they were repaired. When the blockage was investigated, it was found that there had been a build-up of fats, oils and greases and 10 tonnes were removed from the pipes at the end of the town drain. That is an issue that has now been highlighted.
Anglian Water put a great deal of effort into looking into what happened and seeing what the way forward was. It has promised to monitor that particular area of piping annually, which is welcome. Moreover, it has started a major campaign on fats, oils and greases to persuade and explain to people who own restaurants and take-aways that they can dispose of the fats and greases responsibly. Companies have come to Royston and offered to take away the fats, oils and greases and to recycle them.
Mr. Heald: My hon. Friend makes a useful point, which I will investigate. I do not know what the figure is, but I know that this problem has happened elsewhere. I believe that in Southend, a fats, oil and greases campaign was needed to tackle the problem of the night-time economy. In general, the citizens of Royston, including me, are relatively responsible in how we dispose of our fats, but there is a case for wider public information.
About a year ago, I was at the launch of a campaign that demonstrated ways in which the domestic user could use their fats to create food for birds, for example, or at least dispose of them in a way that would not block the drains. This is an issue of solidarity between people in a town. If the result of a build-up of fats, oils and grease is that people’s homes are flooded, everybody has a duty to act responsibly. If we can help the environment at the same time by recycling those products, that is better still. I just wanted to make a short contribution in support of my hon. Friend the Member for St. Albans, and to say that it is important to look at ways of avoiding such build-ups and floods.