Clean Coasts and Uisce Éireann headed to Clonmany in County Donegal for their annual Agricultural Show in it 56th edition. The Clonmany Agricultural Show has grown in popularity every year and now attracts thousands of visitors from across Ireland, from farmers and exhibitors to young families. Present at the show were agricultural livestock, sheepdog trials, Taste of Inishowen Food Festival, North-West Shearing championships, arts and crafts, entertainment, jive dancing competitions and much more.
Clean Coasts was based in the Nature Tent where there was an array of stalls, sellers and various organisations. The Clean Coasts team encouraged people to look after their local marine environment by cultivating responsible flushing behaviors and to pledge their commitment to the “Think Before You Flush” campaign. This initiative aims to raise awareness about the detrimental effects of flushing sanitary products and other damaging items down the toilet and to promote responsible waste management practices.
The “Think Before You Flush” campaign, operated by Clean Coasts in partnership with Uisce Éireann, emphasises the importance of appropriate flushing behaviour and disposal of items including wipes and other sanitary products in the bin, even if they are labelled as flushable. Only the 3 Ps, pee, poo and paper should be flushed down the toilet. When items such as wet wipes are flushed down the toilet, they can cause serious blockages in sewage systems, causing sewage overflows and ultimately polluting our coastal waters and beaches.
The team also discussed the Think Before You Pour campaign that looks at the issue of pouring fats, oils, and greases (FOGs) from cooking down the kitchen sink. Instead of flowing freely, FOG’s cool and harden as they travel along the wastewater network. When FOGs combine with sewage related litter such as wipes, hair and dental floss fatbergs can form. Uisce Éireann 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.
Speaking about the day Sinéad Keogh from Clean Coasts said: “We are thankful to organisers of the Clonmany Agricultural Show for inviting us to be part of this festival. We are having a fantastic day with an amazing line up of talks, demonstrations, food vans and much more! We are delighted to be in Donegal today and engage in conversations about Clean Coasts and the Think Before You Flush campaign with members of the community. Sewage-related litter poses a real burden on our wastewater network and marine environment. The wonderful news is that the solution is straightforward. Only flush the 3 Ps (pee, poo, and paper) down the toilet. Everything else belongs in the bin. Through collaboration, we can support better flushing behaviour and deliver a tangible positive impact on our natural environment.”