Why you shouldn’t flush rubbish down the loo - a reminder from ATU students
AONTÚ party leader, Peadar Tóibín, TD, is to hold a public meeting for the Sligo-Leitrim Constituency in the Sligo Park Hotel on Monday, November 27 next at 8pm. Deputy Tóibín will speak on key local issues such as the current Cost of Living Crisis; Housing issues; difficulties facing ATU and its students; issues relating to the hospital services provided in Sligo University Hospital; as well as issues relating to farming and fisheries.
Leitrim man, Ciarán Tracey, who was re-elected to the Árd Comhairle of AONTÚ at the 2023 Árd Fheis last month, commented: “I am proud to be part of Ireland's newest and fastest-growing political party, which was founded in 2019. Significantly, Cumann AONTÚ Liatroma was established one month later, and currently caters for members in the Sligo area.”
THIS Science Week, Think Before You Flush, in collaboration with Sligo ATU students is taking a closer look at why we should not flush our rubbish down the loo as Uisce Éireann continues to clear thousands of blockages in our wastewater network and treatment plants every year and Clean Coasts continues to find sewage related litter on our beaches. Science Week aims to make science more interesting and accessible to children and adults alike. Science, technology, and engineering are hugely relevant to us all in our everyday lives, lead to interesting and exciting career options and develop creativity in our children. Science is all around us and there is no better place to look for science in our everyday lives than in the humble bathroom.
With this in mind, the Think Before You Flush campaign operated by Clean Coasts in partnership with Uisce Éireann, met with students at the ATU Sligo Science Fair to investigate the link between our toilets, beaches, and sewage-related litter. Using interactive experiments and games, the campaign will be demonstrating the environmental issues caused by marine and sewage-related litter.
The Think Before You Flush campaign addresses the issue of flushing unsuitable items down the toilet and highlights the consequences of doing so, such as blockages in our wastewater network and treatment plants, surface water overflows and sewage related litter on our beaches and in our oceans, damaging our marine environment.
Many toiletries, such as wet wipes, cotton pads and dental floss, are part of the ‘Dirty Dozen' which are the top 12 items that are incorrectly flushed down the toilet in Ireland. Other items include hair, paper towels, medicine, tampons, food items, contact lenses, condoms, cigarette butts and cotton bud sticks.
There is no denying these items are incredibly useful.
Many people love the convenience of disposable wet wipes, facial pads and dental floss but are unaware of the problems associated with these items when inappropriately flushed down the toilet. Research has found that close to one in four adults regularly admit to flushing items down the toilet that are known to cause blockages, causing 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, other items, such as wet wipes, do not break down easily.
The interactive exhibition will also focus on the kitchen campaign, Think Before You Pour. This campaign looks at the issue of pouring fats, oils, and greases (FOGs) from cooking down the kitchen sink. Instead of flowing freely, they cool and harden as they travel along the wastewater network.
When these FOGs combine with wipes and other sewage related litter, such as hair and dental floss, fatbergs can form. 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.
Talking about the importance of community participation in the protection of our local environment Anthony Skeffington, Uisce Éireann, said: “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.”
Anthony continued: “We are delighted to continue our partnership with Clean Coasts and collaborate with Sligo ATU to shine a light on the link between what you flush down the toilet and can end up on your local beach.” Olivia Jones is a campaign officer with Clean Coasts and speaking about the event said: “We are delighted to be invited to the ATU Sligo for this year's Science Fair as part of Science Week. Our message is simple. We are asking people to re-evaluate their flushing behaviour and to stop sewage-related litter at source. Remember, only flush the 3 Ps (pee, poo, and paper). Everything else goes in the bin.” To learn more about the Think Before You Flush and Think Before You Pour campaigns, visit https://thinkbeforeyouflush. org/ and follow @CleanCoasts on social media.