On Sunday, 30th of August, Monkstown Village Tidy District organised their 5th Monkstown Harvest Festival. This wonderful festival featured a dog show, street feast, live music, magic shows and puppet theatre. Monkstown Village Tidy District’s Biodiversity Group engaged with the public on their actions and how members of the community can get involved. People of all ages were in attendance and the day was a great success.
Clean Coasts and Uisce Éireann were delighted to attend the Monkstown Harvest Festival encouraging people of all ages to cultivate responsible flushing behaviour and to pledge their commitment to the Think Before You Flush campaign. This campaign 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, FOGs 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 event Aisling Kennedy, Clean Coasts Development Officer for Dublin said:
We are delighted to have attended the Monkstown Harvest Festival. Monkstown Village Tidy District ran a fantastic event and really take excellent care of their area. It was lovely to engage in conversations about the Think Before You Flush campaign with the community. Sewage-related litter is a real burden on our wastewater network and impacts our 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 heritage.
Nuala Woods, Head of Wastewater Operations at Uisce Éireann echoed Aisling’s words:
Everyday people flush thousands of sanitary items, such as wet wipes and cotton buds, down the toilet instead of simply putting them in the bin. This causes blockages in our network, pumping stations and wastewater treatment plants and can lead to sewage overflows impacting some of our most beautiful coastal and river locations. We clear approximately 10,000 blockages from our wastewater network every year. Through our partnership with Clean Coasts, we work to preserve and protect our environment and shine a light on the link between what you flush down the toilet and can end up at your local river or beach.