‘Think before you flush’ campaign urges people to change their habits

Environmental group Clean Coasts has teamed up with Irish Water to highlight the damage that items such as cotton buds and anti-bacterial wipes can do when discarded in the toilet.

Think Before You Flush is an annual public awareness campaign about the problems sanitary products and other items can cause to the plumbing in homes, wastewater pipes, treatment plants and the marine environment. The campaign is operated by Clean Coasts, part of An Taisce, in partnership with Irish Water.

Blockages can lead to backflowing and overflowing sewers which can spread disease, according to the campaign.

Given the rise in sea swimming and the use of beaches, the campaign is asking people to think about the implications of their flushing behaviour, and its impact on the environment.

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Images of sea birds being impacted by marine litter are all too common and people have a role to play in protecting beaches, seas and marine life, according to the campaign.

“A small change in our flushing behaviour can make a big difference – put wipes, cotton bud sticks and sanitary items in the bin and not down the toilet” is the campaign’s message

According to Tom Cuddy of Irish Water removing blockages from pipes and treatment plants “can be a nasty job”, as sometimes workers have to enter sewers to remove blockages with shovels.

Mr Cuddy said the amount of people admitting that they flush inappropriate material had fallen from 36 per cent in 2018 to 24 per cent in this year’s study. But he noted 24 per cent represents almost a million people.

Sewer blockages

“Our message is simple, only the 3 Ps, pee, poo and paper should be flushed down the toilet. All other items including wet wipes and other sanitary products should go in the bin even if they are labelled as flushable. This will reduce the number of sewer blockages, the risk of flooding to homes and businesses and the risk of pollution in the environment harming wildlife such as fish and birds and associated habitats.”

At Ringsend waste water treatment plant in Dublin, where 40 per cent of the country’s wastewater load is treated, an average of 60 tonnes of wipes and other items are removed from the plant every month. That is the equivalent of five double decker buses.

At Mutton Island in Galway City about 100 tonnes of wipes and other items are removed from the wastewater treatment plant annually.

Sinead McCoy, Clean Coasts asked people to think about preventing material “like wipes, cotton bud sticks and sanitary items washing up on Ireland’s spectacular beaches”.

“By making small changes in our flushing behaviour, we can prevent the harm caused by sewage-related litter in our marine environment” she said.

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