On Tuesday, October 14th, The Think Before You Flush team, in collaboration with Uisce Éireann, headed to Trinity College, Dublin during Climate Action Week to talk to students about all thing’s sewage related litter. The event encouraged the students of Trinity to cultivate responsible flushing behaviours 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 the 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 our plumbing, damage our waste-water networks and lead to sewage overflows that pollute our rivers, lakes, beaches and coastlines.
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 thousands of blockages, including fatbergs, from the wastewater network every year. 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.
Uisce Éireann’s Head of Wastewater Operations, Nuala Woods, said: “We hope the many students who learned about the Think Before You Flush/Pour campaigns will support Uisce Éireann’s ongoing efforts to preserve and protect our precious environment. We know from our research that attitudes and flushing behaviours are changing for the better, but there is still work to do. These events are crucially important to raise awareness of what can and can’t be flushed down the toilet or poured down the sink.”
Patrick Cross, Campaign Officer for Think Before You Flush, had this to say: “We are delighted to visit Trinity College during Climate Action Week and engage in conversations about the Think Before You Flush campaign with the students. 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.”
Sarah Murphy, Sustainability Assistant in Trinity Sustainability, who helped organised the event added: “The work Clean Coasts team do is super and we are thrilled to support their initiatives on Trinity’s campus. The Think Before You Flush campaign is simple in its message but big on impact. It links in very nicely with the clean-ups we’ve taken part in this year near the college beside the Grand Canal – which shows the direct impact of not disposing of waste properly on our waterways. Having the Clean Coasts team attend during Trinity’s Climate and Biodiversity Action Week 2025 raised much needed awareness on this issue … they did a great job at catching student’s attention with fun games and prizes!”