.
The Think Before You Flush campaign, operated by Clean Coasts in partnership with Irish Water, are urging the people of Kerry to stop flushing wipes down the toilet this Halloween. Pictured from left; Sarah O’ Connor, Beth Lucey, Ciara O’ Sullivan and Orianne McGillycuddy from St. Brigid’s Presentation Secondary School, Killarney. Photo:Pauline Dennigan
THE ‘Think Before You Flush Campaign’, operated by Clean Coasts in partnership with Irish Water, urges the public of Kerry to stop flushing wipes down the toilet this Halloween.
When waste items like wet wipes and sanitary items are flushed, they can reappear in the form of fatbergs. Halting the unacceptable practice of flushing these items, will help scare away the ‘Wet Wipe Monster’ that threatens our wastewater system, beaches, and marine environment.
Local students from St Brigid’s Presentation Secondary School gathered in Killarney National Park to scare the Wet Wipe Monster out of the community and to remind the public to only flush the 3 Ps down the toilet; pee, poo and paper…everything else should go straight into the bin.
Continued below…
.
Think Before You Flush addresses the issue of flushing unsuitable items down the toilet and highlights the consequences of doing so, such as blockages in our wastewater network and treatment plants, surface water overflows, and sewage related litter impacting rivers, beaches, oceans, and our marine environment.
Many toiletries such as wipes, cotton pads, and dental floss, collectively known as the ‘Dirty Dozen’, are consistently amongst the top 12 items that are incorrectly flushed down the toilets of Ireland. Other items include hair; paper towels; medicine; tampons; food items; contact lenses; condoms; cigarette butts; and cotton bud sticks.
Historically, the flushing of wipes constituted the most common items causing blockages in our wastewater network, leading to environmental pollution.
Since 2018 we have seen a positive 38% reduction in people flushing wipes down the toilet. However, more than 1 in 10 people still admit to doing so.
Unlike toilet paper, which is designed to disintegrate quickly in our pipes and sewage systems, other items don’t break down so easily.
When fats, oils, and greases (FOGs) from cooking are poured down the kitchen sink, they cool and harden as they travel along the wastewater network. When FOGs combine with wipes and other sewage related litter such as hair and dental floss fatbergs can form.
Irish Water clears hundreds of blockages including fatbergs from the wastewater network every week. Think Before You Pour appeals to the public not to pour FOGs down the kitchen sink as a survey reveals that approximately 3 out of 10 people admit to doing so.
Find out more about the campaign at https://thinkbeforeyouflush.org/ and follow @CleanCoasts on social media.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
