Avoid blockages: leftovers from a feast don't belong in the sink

A New Year’s Eve feast means plenty of food and, unfortunately, more waste. Tallinna Vesi would like to remind you that pouring food waste down the sink or toilet can result in unpleasant blockages. Plumbing services may not be immediately available during the holidays.

“Every year during the Christmas and New Year’s season, we see more tangerine peels, leftover bones and apple cores in the wastewater,” says Priit Kappak, Head of Wastewater Treatment at Tallinna Vesi. Fats and oils used for cooking, as well as soup, coffee grounds, fruit peel, and bones left over from meat and fish dishes, can all cause problems for the sewer system. These put load on the wastewater treatment system and can cause blockages in the sewer pipes serving both your home and the rest of the apartment building.

"Food that has gone off should be placed in a bio-waste container or composter. If the soup has gone off and is too runny to put in the organic waste bin, you should skim off the congealed fat first and then pour the liquid down the drain,” advises Kappak.

The sewer system is also not intended for cotton buds, wet wipes, hygiene products or cigarette butts. Cigarette butts contain toxic chemicals and take years to decompose in nature.

Kappak says that conscientious and careful waste sorting helps to prevent unpleasant blockages at home and unnecessary load on the wastewater treatment system. “Every consumer's contribution in making the water returned to nature as clean as possible and reducing the ecological footprint of wastewater treatment is important.”