fatberg

[fat-burg]

noun

1. a solid lump in a sewer system consisting of waste that does not break down, as congealed cooking fat, cleansing wipes, and cotton balls.

   Cities must deal with the growing problem of large and small fatbergs that cause sewage backups and street flooding.

Word History and Origins

Origin of fatberg¹

First recorded in 2000–05; fat ( def. ) (in the sense “greasy substance”) + (ice)berg ( def. )

Example Sentences

E. coli is the field's main "workhorse" says Prof Wallace, who has also genetically engineered it in the lab to turn plastic waste into vanilla flavour and fatberg waste from sewers into perfume.

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Perth's water corporation said the fatberg responsible for the disruption had already "caused several wastewater overflows" on the main road near the venue and urged the public to avoid direct contact with "pooled water" in the area.

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Last year, a fatberg weighing roughly the same as three double-decker buses was cleared from an east London sewer.

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Prof Wallace then adds the specially modified bacteria to the remnants of the fatberg.

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The fatberg gradually disappears, as the bacteria eat it, producing the chemical with the pine-like smell - this can be used as an ingredient in perfumes.

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