Cork kids highlight horrors of flagrant flushing

A CORK school is among the groups leading a campaign to urge the public to think before flushing this Halloween, as damaging items are blocking pipes and creating blockages resulting in sewage overflows.

Pupils from St Colman’s Community College in Midleton participated in a photo-shoot organised by Clean Coasts Ireland and Uisce Éireann to highlight the campaign to scare away the ‘Wet Wipe Monster’ this Halloween.

The goal of the campaign is to ensure all individuals only flush the ‘3 P’s’ – pee, poo and paper – and to put all other waste in the bin.

Tom Cuddy of Uisce Éireann said thousands of sanitary items such as wet wipes and cotton buds are flushed down the toilet every day instead of being put in bins.

“This causes blockages in our network, pumping stations and wastewater treatment plants and can lead to sewage overflow,” he said.

Sinéad McCoy, the Clean Coasts manager of An Taisce’s Environmental Education Unit said that the ‘Think Before You Flush’ campaign was dedicated to educating the public and raising awareness about the consequences of sewage related litter on the environment.

“This Halloween, we urge the public to embrace environmentally responsible behaviour and always Think Before You Flush. Let’s ensure those spooky wipes find their way into the bin, stopping the formation of terrifying fatbergs that haunt our pipes and wastewater systems.”

Flushing wipes down the toilet can also lead to sewage-related litter ending up on beaches and in our oceans, damaging the 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, medicines, tampons, food items, contact lenses, condoms, cigarette butts, and cotton bud sticks”.