Bundoran Community Centre Clean Coasts group embrace the ‘Think Before You Flush & Pour’ campaign of Clean Coasts Programme, An Taisce and Uisce Éireann
On Thursday 4th June, Bundoran Community Centre Clean Coasts group held their monthly beach clean-up and welcomed their Clean Coasts Regional Officer, Auriel Robinson, to the centre in the town to talk about the importance of the coastal environment and its marine biodiversity. The ‘Think Before You Flush and Pour’ campaigns, run by Clean Coasts in collaboration with Uisce Éireann, were introduced to the participants, preceding a beach clean on the town’s main beach. In addition to the Clean Coasts group members themselves from the community Centre Clean Coasts group and with the help from Bundoran Tidy Towns, an enthusiastic audience of surfers also attended and helped out with the clean-up, despite the inclement weather!
The Think Before You Flush campaign works with local communities across Ireland, including Donegal, to raise awareness on the issues of flushing unsuitable items down the toilet and highlights the consequences of doing so. These include blockages in our wastewater network and treatment plants, sewage overflows and sewage-related litter ending up on our beaches and in our natural environment. The campaign message is simple. Only flush the 3Ps (pee, poo and paper) down the toilet. Everything else goes in the bin.
While people appreciate the convenience of disposable wet wipes, facial pads and dental floss, many are unaware of the problems associated with these items when inappropriately flushed down the toilet. Research has found that just over one in five adults admit to regularly flushing items down the toilet that are known to cause blockages and can have detrimental effects on the wastewater network and the marine environment. Unlike toilet paper, which is designed to disintegrate quickly in our pipes and sewage systems, these other items do not break down easily.
Bundoran Community Centre Clean Coasts Group worked alongside the Think Before You Flush campaign to remove four bags of litter over a short space of time (due to harsh weather conditions) from the local beach and immediate area on the day.
The Think Before You Pour Campaign looks at the issue of pouring fats, oils and greases (FOGs) from cooking down the kitchen sink. When FOGs cool down, they harden and combined with wipes and other litter items, such as hair and dental floss, they can create fatbergs, causing sewage overflows in our homes and businesses, polluting our rivers, lakes and seas.
Regional Officer for Donegal, Auriel Robinson said: “Bundoran has historically and remains a busy vibrant town in the northwest of Ireland with increased footfall over the years with the development of the Wild Atlantic Way. It also attracts water lovers and surfers who spend long hours surfing the waves, so it is important for the water to be clean and the beaches, litter free for everyone to enjoy. Every little bit helps and anyone can do their own #2minutebeachclean! The community centre is a focal point for meeting on the first Thursday of every month at 10am, and anyone can participate in a beach clean. It all helps.”