The Think Before You Flush campaign landed in Wexford Town for the Fleadh, to sing a few songs about what should and should not go down the toilet and dance the responsible flushing jig! On the 7th and the 8th of August the team set up a stall at Crescent Quay and gave away free gunk pots and bars of soap to members of the public while humming The Ballad of the Dreaded Wetwipe. This fine ditty, all about responsible behaviour in the bathroom, lets us know we should only ever flush the 3 P’s (that’s pee, poo and paper) and everything else should go into the bin.
Flushing items such as wipes down our toilets can lead to blockages in our wastewater network, treatment plants and sewage overflows and can result in sewage related litter on our beaches, in our oceans, damaging water quality and our marine environment. Many toiletries, such as wet wipes, cotton pads and dental floss, are part of the ‘Dirty Dozen’, which are the top 12 items that are incorrectly flushed down the toilet in Ireland. Other items include hair; paper towels; medicine; sanitary products; food items; contact lenses; condoms; cigarette butts; and cotton bud sticks.
At the event members of the public also learned about the Think Before You Pour campaign. This campaign highlights the issue of pouring fats, oils, and greases (FOGs) from cooking down the kitchen sink. Instead of flowing freely, FOGs 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. Uisce Éireann clears thousands of blockages a year, including fatbergs, from our wastewater networks. The Think Before Pour campaign urges everyone to avoid washing or pouring FOGs down the kitchen drain and, instead, dispose of them in the bin once cool.
Speaking about the event, Think Before You Flush Campaign Officer Patrick Cross said, “we are delighted to contribute to the Fleadh and interact with such an enthusiastic audience. The goal of the campaign is to support individuals to make informed decisions in their bathrooms and kitchens and protect Irelands beautiful marine ecosystems. The Think Before You Flush and Pour campaigns strive to encourage behavioural change in toilets and kitchens across the country and large events like the Fleadh offer an ideal opportunity to engage with the public around topics that have a meaningful impact on the natural environment. We would like to give a special mention to Wexford County Council and the organisers of the event as it was incredibly well run and a pleasure to be part of. Bravo!”
Congratulating the organisers of another hugely successful Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, Nuala Woods, Uisce Éireann’s Head of Wastewater Operations said: “We hope the many people who took time during the Fleadh activities to learn about the Think Before You Flush/Pour campaigns will support Uisce Éireann’s ongoing efforts to preserve and protect our precious environment.”