Authorities fear giant wet wipe-filled 'fatbergs' could destroy Australian sewage systems
They might be cheap to buy on supermarket shelves, but disposable wipes are costing authorities tens of millions of dollars as more people flush them down the toilet, clogging pipes and polluting waterways.
Manufacturers and sewage companies across the country are scrambling to fix the problem, fearing just one colossal blockage could cause hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of damage to a system already under strain.
Michelle Cull from Queensland Urban Utilities said despite efforts to get the message through to consumers, the problem was getting worse.
"I think a lot of people just aren't aware that they shouldn't be putting wet wipes down the toilet," she said.
"A lot of the wipes are labelled as flushable but the message we are trying to get out is that just because they can be flushed doesn't mean they should be flushed."
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http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-06/fears-giant-wipe-filled-fatberg-could-destroy-sewage-system/6597592
