100-foot-long 'fatberg' found in Detroit-area sewer

Sept. 12 (UPI) -- Officials in a Michigan county said they are hoping a massive "fatberg" found in a suburban Detroit sewer will help change people's behavior.

The Macomb County Public Works Office said a sewer pipe known as the Lakeshore Inspector was found this week to be clogged by a 100-foot-long "fatberg," a collection of fats, oils and grease that forms a mass with objects flushed down the sewer.

The office said the fatberg, the largest such object found in the county's sewers, is a result of grease and similar materials being poured into the sewers, as well as objects such as baby wipes.

"To put it simply, this fatberg is gross," Public Works Commission Candice Miller said in a statement.

"It provides an opportunity, however, to talk with people about the importance of restricting what goes down our sewers. This restriction was caused by people and restaurants pouring grease and similar materials down their drains. We want to change that behavior," she said.

The county is launching an education initiative aimed to preventing future fatbergs from forming in local sewers.