We can’t address this until we’re prepared to use the word ‘tampon’ in discussing the problem, says Martha Silcott

Perhaps it is no coincidence that the record-breaking fatberg was discovered during a week of coordinated nationwide beach clean-ups, run by volunteers (Monster fatberg found inside London sewer, 13 September). Fatbergs like the “monster” found in Whitechapel could easily be avoided, but it’s time for an honest discussion about the causes. It’s not just cooking oil but a range of other items that we flush down our loos.

Tampons are widely believed to be flushable but swell up in sewers, combining with oil to create impenetrable blockages. Blocked sewers overflow into rivers, leading to the oceans, hence the huge clean-ups needed every year to rid our beaches of so-called sanitary waste. We can’t address this until we’re prepared to use the word “tampon” in discussing the problem. Five of the major UK water companies give out free FabLittleBag disposal bags to householders as a crucial preventative measure. We hope Thames Water will join them to save millions in costly repairs – which is passed on in our water bills – as well as to prevent the horrific aquatic pollution.

Martha Silcott

CEO, FabLittleBag

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