Awareness
at home, at work and in your community
Why raise awareness for TBYF?
In a survey, we asked people the reason they flushed unsuitable items down the toilet. The survey revealed that the frequency of sewage related littering is highest in younger age profiles with a third of under 35s admitting to regularly flushing unsuitable items down the toilet (compared to the average of 24% for all adults). This age profile has, however, seen continued improvement in the reduction of this environmentally harmful behaviour. This was 52% in 2018, now 32% in 2021. Representing an improvement of 39% (B&A Survey Findings, 2021). The survey results indicate more and more people are starting to Think Before You Flush, but there is still plenty of work to do.
By raising awareness about the issue of sewage related litter, together we can continue to reduce the likelihood of these items entering our wastewater system, waterways and marine environment.
#ThinkB4UFlush Resources
Would you like resources to raise awareness about what you should and should not flush down the toilet? Download our Think Before You Flush posters today and put them up at home, work or in your community!
#ThinkB4UFlush Resources
Would you like resources to raise awareness about what you should and should not flush down the toilet? Download our Think Before You Flush posters today and put them up at home, work or in your community!
At Home
When flushed down the toilet, unsuitable items can collect in our domestic waste water pipes and form blockages. Domestic pipes are not designed to carry this type of waste and can easily become blocked. This results in costly maintenance, repairs, flooding and environmental pollution.
To help protect our homes and the environment, we want home owners to join us in creating awareness about the problem these items can cause if they are flushed down the toilet.
Here are some ways for you to get involved in the campaign:
- Put a bin in your bathroom.
- Pledge your support and receive Think Before You Flush resources to put in your bathroom as a reminder for housemates, friends and family.
- Switch to reusable options (to reduce your reliance on single-use items like wipes is to switch to reusable alternatives like a facial cloth). For a zero-waste option, you can make your very own DIY toner or make-up remover too.
- Switch to plastic-free alternatives where possible and always dispose of these items in the general waste bin when you’ve finished with them.
- Share this website and resources with friends, family and neighbours.
At Work
To help protect our businesses and environment, we want businesses to join us in creating awareness about the problem these items can cause if they are flushed down the toilet.
Here are some ways for your business to get involved in the campaign:
- Ensure there are bins in all of the toilets at your place of business.
- Pledge your businesses support to Think Before You Flush and receive resources to stick up resources in the toilets at your place of business for customers and employees.
- Request tent cards to display in your toilets.
- Get in touch with us about organising an awareness event for your business, with your ideas on how to raise awareness of Think Before You Flush, or to request hard copies of resources.
“Galway Atlantaquaria was delighted to become the first business to promote the campaign in Galway. Visitors to the aquarium are highlighted to the problems of sewage related litter and the ‘Dirty Dozen’ through posters displayed in the building. We would recommend any group to support the work of Clean Coasts as it ultimately will ensure our environment is habitable and safe not just for the sea life but for us as well.”
In Your Community
To help protect our communities and the environment, we want community groups and members to join us in creating awareness about the problem these items can cause if they are flushed down the toilet.
Here are some ways for your community group to get involved in the campaign:
- Ask local businesses, clubs, local authority and community spaces to display some Think Before You Flush resources in their bathrooms.
- Stick up some Think Before You Flush resources in the public toilets in your community.
- Get in touch to discuss ideas on how to raise awareness of Think Before You Flush in your community.
- Share this website and resources with neighbours, local businesses, clubs and community groups.
TBYF Kids
Looking for environmental educational resources for your class or youth group? Think Before You Flush has you covered.
Head over to our TBYF kids pages and for lots of resources to help teach young people about the damage sewage related litter causes in our waste water network and environment.
