The Think Before You Flush team were delighted to meet Tidy Towns volunteers from groups in Kerry in Ballygarry Hotel, Tralee last week for their annual Tidy Towns seminar.
The Think Before You Flush campaign is a public awareness campaign run by Clean Coasts in partnership with Uisce Éireann. The main message of the campaign is simple, only flush the 3Ps -pee, poo and paper – throw all other waste in the bin. Flushing unsuitable items down the toilet can result in blockages and the possibility of sewage related litter, such as wipes, cotton buds, hair and dental floss, ending up in our waterways and on our beautiful beaches, of which Kerry boasts many. This litter can impact the marine life that inhabits the waterways.
The Think Before You Flush team had an information stand at the event to highlight the work undertaken and planned in Kerry with the attendees. Killarney and Tralee are two of the regional locations the campaign will focus on for the 2023. The conversations centred around sewage related litter in local towns and beaches and the responsibility we all have in our homes to help keep our waterways litter free. The team also talked about the issue of pouring fats, oils, and greases (FOGs) from cooking down the kitchen sink. These FOGs can then combine other sewage related litter to form fatbergs. Uisce Éireann clears approximately 200 blockages the wastewater network every week.
Speaking about the Think Before You Flush campaign, Margaret Attridge, Uisce Éireann said: “We know from our research that attitudes and flushing behaviours are changing for the better but there is still work to do. Almost a million people nationally are still using the toilet as a bin; this includes more than 30,000 in Kerry. We are asking people to always Think Before You Flush and take a simple action such as putting a bin in the bathroom. Working with community groups such as Tidy Towns is a powerful way to spread this message. Similar to Tidy Towns, Uisce Éireann is focused on improving the local environment for the benefit of all.”
Elaine from Clean Coasts spoke about the event. “I have great respect for the work the Tidy Towns groups do all around the country, so I was delighted to attend the seminar in Tralee last week. The room was full of energy and experience. There is such power in community and these groups are excellent at spreading messages that will resonate with their communities for the betterment of those living there. It is always wonderful to attend local events to speak about our work, this is where real change can occur.”
What Can We Do?
Join the campaign on social media @CleanCoasts and at www.cleancoasts.org. Learn more about the Think Before You Flush campaign at https://thinkbeforeyouflush.org/