The Think Before You Flush campaign was delighted to be part of the 2023 Limerick Learning Festival. The team had an interactive information stand at the city library. The Think Before You Flush campaigns is a public awareness campaigns operated by Clean Coasts in partnership with Uisce Eireann, the campaign’s main lesson is to only flush the 3P’s, pee, poo and paper and all other waste belongs in the bin. The campaign addresses the issue of flushing unsuitable items down the toilet and highlights the consequences of doing so, such as blockages in our homes, the wastewater treatment network and the possibility of sewage related litter ending up in our waterways and on our beaches. Sewage related litter can impact water quality and the marine life that inhabits the waterways.
Many items such as wipes, cotton bud sticks and dental floss are flushed in error and their presence in the wastewater network affects the network itself as well as water quality.
On the day the team also talked about the issue of pouring fats, oils, and greases (FOGs) from cooking down the kitchen sink. Instead of flowing freely they cool and harden as they travel along the wastewater network, when these 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. The Think Before Pour campaign urges everyone to avoid washing FOGs down the kitchen drain and, instead, dispose of them in the bin once cool.
The Limerick Lifelong Learning Festival is in its twelfth year. The 2023 theme is “Come Learn with Me in 2023″, a fitting theme for the Think Before You Flush campaign. Limerick city is one for regional locations the Think Before You Flush campaign is in for 2023, in the past in Limerick city we have handed out educational resources ,done a walking tour, had a stand at a swimming competition, spoken on local radio and many more fun activities to share the message of the campaign.
Elaine from Clean Coasts was in Limerick for the festival. “It is always great to meet people to talk about the campaign. The Limerick Learning festival has something for everyone and was a great platform for the Think Before You Flush campaign to meet people and chat about our work. The library was a perfect setting, meeting people who knew we were there and just happen to pass, everyone we met enjoyed the chat and many learnt something they had never heard before.”
Speaking about the Think Before You Flush campaign….
Come learn with us in 2023 and always think before you flush.
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/