Andy Serkis stars as a talking anus in fatberg prevention campaign

'Fatbergs' are made up of 93% wet wipes.

Actor Andy Serkis is lending his vocal talents to a new fatberg prevention campaign that sees him play the part of a talking anus

The rather unconventional role is part of a campaign spearheaded by anti-plastic pollution organisation, City to Sea, a non-profit enterprise aiming to raise awareness of the impact of plastic on the environment.

For the campaign, which seeks to highlight the dangers of 'fatbergs', the organisation has created a short film featuring the Lord of the Rings star.

Fatbergs are congealed masses of non-biodegradable waste bound together by grease and fat, that clog sewer systems.

However, as this latest campaign highlights, fatberg is somewhat of a misnomer. The mass blockages, which can weigh up to 130 tonnes, are actually comprised of 93 per cent wet wipes that have been flushed down the toilet, and just 0.5 per cent household cooking fats.

Sewage blockages cost water companies an average one million pounds a year to tackle, a bill which falls upon consumers to pay.

The short film explains the consequences of not disposing of wet wipes properly.

“Hello, I’m an arsehole,” Serkis says at the start of the film.

“But then we’re all arseholes now and again, aren’t we?” he continues. 

“Like when we flush wet wipes down the toilet. Every year, a whopping 93 per cent of London sewage blockages come from wet wipes.”

“Please don’t throw wet wipes in the toilet,” he finishes. “Be a good arsehole - put them in the bin.”

Most wet wipes sold in the UK are made of plastic and do not biodegrade.

In 2018, a BBC investigation found that no wet wipe brands sold as ‘flushable’ passed industry disintegration tests that ensure they break down upon disposal.

This year, it was estimated 9.3 million wet wipes were flushed down UK toilets every day and there’s been a 94 per cent increase in waste wet wipes being found on beaches.

In May, health food chain Holland and Barratt became the first high street retailer to cease selling wet wipes altogether because of their impact on the environment.