50 tonnes of ‘fatbergs’ removed from Richmond, B.C., sewer [Video]

Crews removed approximately 50 tonnes of “fatbergs” from the sewer system in Richmond, B.C., earlier this month, according to Metro Vancouver.

The regional district shared pictures of the work on social media Thursday, along with a plea for people to put cooking oil, butter and grease in their green bins, rather than down the drain. 

“Fatbergs” are hardened chunks of grease that can build up in pipes and cause blockages. Metro Vancouver says on its website that fats, oils and grease harden in sewers “because of a chemical reaction that turns them into a concrete-like material.” 

“Greasy foods mixed with soap still become part of that reaction,” the regional district says.

In a statement to CTV News, Metro Vancouver explained that the Richmond photos were taken in mid-October as the fatbergs were removed from the Gilbert Trunk Sewer near Hollybridge Way and Lansdown Road in the city’s north.

“Grease removal in this area has been ongoing since July, after more grease than usual arrived at …