近日，英国政府办公机构白厅受到了威胁！对象不是恐怖分子，而是地沟里的“肥球”(fatburgs)。

A fatberg is a congealed lump of fat, sanitary items, wet wipes, and similar items found in sewer systems, which do not break down like toilet paper.

肥球是在下水道系统中发现的凝结的脂肪块，卫生用品，湿纸巾等类似物品。这些物品无法像厕纸那样被分解。

A huge fatberg stretching about 20 meters has been discovered in a Whitehall sewer - as the cost of cleaning out sewers in and around London was revealed to have reached £1 million a month. The fatberg under the manhole in central London was reportedly one of the biggest ever Thames Water has ever had to clear up.

近日，在伦敦市中心白厅办的下水道里，人们发现了一个约20米长的肥球“巨无霸”。据称，这个横在检修孔的肥球是泰晤士水公司清理过的最大的一个。每个月，政府花在清理伦敦及其周边下水道的费用都达100万英镑。

Fatbergs are a persistent problem beneath London. In August, a team removed a Boeing-747 sized fatberg in Shepherd's Bush Roads West London. The summer before that, a 15-tonne lump of congealed fat clogged sewers in Kingston.

肥球一直是伦敦地下系统的“老大难”问题。今年8月，一队人马在伦敦西区曾清除了一个波音747客机大小的肥球。此前夏天，一个重15公吨的凝固的脂肪块堵塞了金斯顿的下水道。

（中国日报网英语点津 丁一）