‘Wet wipe monsters’ found in Newtownabbey

Wet wipes in the NI Water waste network.

The move comes after wet wipe monsters were recently found in Newtownabbey’s sewerage system.

Gavin McCready, NI Water’s wastewater manager, said: “It doesn’t need to be Halloween for us to be afraid of what we find down there.

“People are under the impression that the wet wipes are okay to flush, whether it’s facial, baby or toilet.

“The fact is they are not; even if they say flushable. Unlike toilet paper, these wipes hold a certain amount of water and do not break down quickly enough to avoid causing a blockage.

“The same goes for fats, oils and greases (FOG), instead of pouring it down the sink (this includes rinsing off cooking trays), scrape it into the bin or into a bottle for recycling.

“All we ask is that people are more responsible with the disposal of their bathroom and food waste; the next blockage could be in your home, and that would be scary!”

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