Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 51
51
Paragraph: 262
Fats, oils and greases and cleaning and hygiene products containing plastic are causing huge problems...
Conclusion
Fats, oils and greases and cleaning and hygiene products containing plastic are causing huge problems for drainage systems when they are poured away in sinks or flushed down the toilet. The disposal of FOG by takeaways and other food service establishments is currently unregulated. Grease management solutions exist, but awareness appears to be low. The food service industry needs clear guidance and standards to be established, failing which firmer regulation is likely to be 126 Water quality in rivers required, to ensure it begins to take responsibility for addressing an issue which is costly for water company customers and detrimental to sewerage systems and the environment. There could be potential circular economy benefits for businesses that can utilise these harmful waste products as biofuels.
Paragraph Reference:
262
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
We agree that citizen science can play an important role, including in assisting the Environment Agency with monitoring, particularly through Catchment Partnerships. drive a move towards the design of new indicators for catchment condition. This is already happening through the Catchment Monitoring Cooperative which obtained £1.7 million in funding from Ofwat’s Breakthrough Water Challenge fund last year to kickstart the scheme in eight catchments. The Environment Agency is also working with the Association of Rivers Trusts to support their Catchment Systems Thinking Cooperative (CaSTCo) initiative. The CaSTCo project will establish a more focussed and better supported toolkit of methods and approaches that are interoperable and can be shared through common platforms. Over a three-year period, the CaSTCo project will develop and implement their proposal in eight demonstrator river catchments across the country which we will engage with and support.