The 130-tonne fatberg discovered lurking in a sewer in Whitechapel is now on display to the public as the Museum of London’s newest exhibit.
The solid lump of congealed fat, wet wipes, nappies and oil, measuring longer than Tower Bridge, made headlines in September when it was discovered blocking a Victorian-era tunnel.
Thames Water’s head of waste networks, Matt Rimmer labelled the mass “a total monster” and “up there with the biggest we’ve ever seen”.
Now the museum has put a slice of the fatberg on display above ground as part of its City Now City Future season looking at the challenges faced by cities around the world and what the future holds for people living in urban environments.
Thames Water has now converted most of the fatberg into biodiesel, and Museum of London curator Vyki Sparkes said preserving a section for display was “an incredible challenge”.
“But, as the Museum of London, it’s important that we display things that reflect the highs and lows of living in the city, today as well as in the past.
“Fatbergs are disgusting, fascinating things which mark a particular moment in London’s history, created by people and businesses who discard rubbish and fat which London’s Victorian sewer system was never designed to cope with.”
Thames Water’s Becky Trotman said they never for a second thought the fatberg would end up on display at a museum.
“Fatbergs are lurking, congealing and growing fast under our feet and as soon as we clear one, another is growing somewhere else in our sewer network.
“This display is a vivid reminder to us all that out of sight is not gone forever, so please help keep London and all the sewers flowing – don’t feed the fatberg.”
