An Taisce’s Clean Coasts visited Dún Laoghaire, Dublin, to meet with local budding sailors from the Irish National Sailing School (INSS) to talk about the ‘Think Before You Flush’ campaign. Clean Coasts Biodiversity Officer, Liane Costello, joined forces with the INSS Programme Leader and Coordinator, Muriel Rumble, to host a beach clean, seashore exploration, and a discussion about the damage that litter items that have been flushed down our toilets can do to our marine environment.
During the event, forty-eight budding sailors, aged four to six, collected five kilograms of litter from Seapoint Beach and learnt all about the amazing marine life that calls Dublin Bay home. As a further action to help our coasts, which they can do in their own homes, the students were asked to always ‘Think Before You Flush’ and only flush the 3 Ps – pee, poo and paper – down the toilet.
The Think Before You Flush campaign, operated by An Taisce’s Clean Coasts in partnership with Uisce Éireann, aims to raise awareness about the detrimental effects of flushing damaging litter items down the toilet and to promote responsible waste management practices. It highlights the issue of flushing items such as wet wipes and other sanitary products, even if they are labelled flushable. When these items are flushed, they can cause serious blockages in sewage systems. This causes sewage overflows and, ultimately, pollutes 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 You Pour campaign urges everyone to avoid washing FOGs down the kitchen drain. Instead, always dispose of them in the bin once cool.
Speaking about the event, Liane Costello, Clean Coasts Biodiversity Officer, noted:
A big thank you to Muriel, the instructors, and the students of the INSS for inviting us to take part in this event. Their care and concern for our marine environment are inspiring, and their support of our Think Before You Flush campaign is greatly appreciated. Wet wipes and other sewage-related litter pose a real burden on our wastewater network and natural 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 collaborations like this, we can support better flushing behaviour and deliver a tangible positive impact for our natural environment.
Nuala Woods, Head of Wastewater Operations at Uisce Éireann:
Simple actions really can make a big difference, and we’re encouraging everyone to Think Before You Flush and Pour, as many of the items discarded down the toilets of Ireland can end up in our streams, rivers, and on our beaches, creating a significant threat to wildlife as seabirds often ingest plastic and sewage related litter, mistaking it for food.
Nuala continued:
Through our partnership with Clean Coasts, we want to continue building awareness of what can and cannot be flushed down the toilet or poured down the sink.