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Can someone explain the science of how this works?
- Thread starter defyalllogic
- Start date
Soaps, shampoos, fabric softeners, and laundry detergents are full of fatty stuff. In addition, people sending bacon grease, fry oil, etc., adds to the problem. I know this first-hand; I had to have my main drain snaked about a year ago, and watched through the manhole cover down the street as nasty, nasty fist-sized chunks of grease washed out. One house clogged a 4-inch pipe, imagine what an entire city would do.
I can confirm the same with me. Greasy buildups over a period of 13 years clogged the 4” drain pipe that runs the length of my house. I can’t imagine how bad that might get with an entire city. Note also that because we use a septic system, we do not flush/drain animal fat or laundry detergent down into the system because the fatty buildup eventually clogs the tanks. Even with that, the system still clogged with fist sized chunks of blackened, rock hard greasy material.
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Judging by defyalllogic's initial question, it may be she was only considering waste material from toilets as opposed to waste from kitchen sinks, baths, road run-off and all the other splendid things that lead to the sewers. However, even if only toilet waste is considered, there is plenty of fat and grease that comes through the digestive system!