The ‘end goal’ is to fish fatbergs out of sewers and turn them into fuel for vans

Hull is at the centre of a pioneering trial to transform waste oils that can form sewer-clogging fatbergs into a sustainable fuel.

The project captures harmful fat, oil, and grease before it can enter the waste system. It then turns the substances into biodiesel, a more sustainable fuel type than traditional diesel.

EcoClarity business development manager Laura Su says she is proud that Hull is at the forefront of trialling this technology, which has been in development for a decade.

Laura said: “Hull has a rich industrial heritage, and now it’s becoming a hub for sustainable innovation. We’re proud to be part of a solution that takes something harmful, like fat, oil, and grease, and gives it new life as a high-quality fuel.”

An estimated 200,000 fatbergs occur annually across the UK, requiring costly removal and increased maintenance costs for water companies such as Yorkshire Water.

Installed at Yorkshire Water’s Hull wastewater treatment site in Salt End Chemical Park, EcoClarity’s system separates problematic fats from wastewater and recovers a valuable energy resource for biodiesel production, while returning safe water to the environment.

Commercial kitchens and food processing facilities are some of the biggest contributors to fats and oils in sewers. Disposal of these greasy, clog-forming substances has long posed a challenge to the water sector.

Laura, who grew up in Hull and studied at the university too, added: “We’ve got a unique place in the market, and this partnership with Yorkshire Water is allowing us to lead the way.

“There’s a huge food and beverage industry in Hull that we really want to tap into. Almost every factory is producing these substances and we can stop them reaching the sewer and then give them a new lease of life as more sustainable fuel ‘it’s a win win’.”

Alongside their partnership with Yorkshire Water, EcoClarity have also recently partnered with Big Table Group, who operate big-name restaurants such as Bella Italia, Las Iguanas and Frankie & Benny’s, to trial recycling of waste from grease recovery units in their commercial kitchens.

Laura added: “We’re working with local food and beverage industries in Hull to create a circular economy. These businesses are generating the waste, and now they can help turn it into something valuable.

“This kind of innovative, sustainable solution is typical of Hull as a city. This project is about more than cleaning up the sewers; it’s about creating opportunities for local businesses and jobs in Hull and beyond.”

Yorkshire Water’s waste services manager James Gudgeon welcomed the partnership with EcoClarity: “Water companies can spend a significant amount of money on staff and equipment costs to remove FOG from our sewers and send it to landfill” which also has an environmental impact.

“We are working with EcoClarity towards the potential nirvana of being able to harvest the FOG from our sewer network and turn it into biodiesel that fuels our vans. That’s the end goal.”

Further EcoClarity hubs are being planned by Yorkshire Water, with Knostrop wastewater treatment works in Leeds next on the list.

Source: Hull Daily Mail