this post was submitted on 16 Jan 2026
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cross-posted from: https://quokk.au/c/australia/p/593822/fatberg-the-size-of-four-buses-likely-birthed-poo-balls-that-closed-sydney-beaches-and-it-ca

Secret report suggests fats, oils and grease accumulate in ‘inaccessible dead zone’ at Malabar plant, then dislodge when pumping pressure ‘rapidly increases’

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[–] tonytins@pawb.social 29 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] HikingVet@lemmy.ca 20 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Yeah, fat isn't supposed to go through plumbing, it's why you aren't supposed to dump grease down sinks or put fatty tissue through a garburator. It's why commercial kitchens have a grease trap that needs cleaning.

To be fair that fatberg is massive.

[–] qjkxbmwvz@startrek.website 11 points 1 week ago

Every so often there's a post on Lemmy about how you should stick it to your landlord and put grease down the drain.

This is why that's a bad idea, and it sucks for everyone, not just your landlord.

It's also not just fat! If you flush "flushable" wipes, don't! They don't disintegrate like toilet paper does, and just clump together with everything else

[–] RamRabbit@lemmy.world 26 points 1 week ago

God damn is that a headline.

[–] UndulyUnruly@lemmy.world 20 points 1 week ago

Unlike most cities, Sydney only does primary treatment of its sewage – straining out the solids. Elsewhere, secondary treatment uses settlement tanks and disinfection techniques before releasing the wastewater or recycling it.

Stay classy!

[–] dhork@lemmy.world 15 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Sydney Water’s deepwater ocean outfalls (DOOF) assessment report, dated 30 August 2025, was produced for the New South Wales Environment Protection Authority, which has been investigating the “debris balls” that closed numerous beaches in late 2024 and early 2025.

doof

[–] EndlessNightmare@reddthat.com 13 points 1 week ago

The grand poo ball

[–] otacon239@lemmy.world 8 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

They did not use a single real unit in the whole article.

Edit: I was wrong. There were two

Still a good read, though.

[–] resipsaloquitur@lemmy.world 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)

How many giraffes long was the article?

[–] otacon239@lemmy.world 9 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] Aeao@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago

What is that in eggs? Including inflation

[–] Leather@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

They could try this method - Whale Removal