With the Christmas period meaning a lot more time spent in the kitchen than usual, Clean Coasts and Irish Water are reminding the public not to pour fats oils and greases from those special roast turkey dinners down the sink.
A recent survey revealed that an huge 85% of people living in Ireland admitted to having done so.
The ‘Think Before You Pour’ Christmas campaign aims to raise awareness of the damage caused by pouring fats, oils and greases from the roast turkey or seasonal dinner down the kitchen sink.
REFRAIN FROM FLUSHING/POURING
Fats, oils and greases (FOGs) may seem like liquid when poured but once they reach the pipes they cool and can cause blockages in the sewer pipes in homes, businesses, the public sewer network, wastewater treatment plants and ultimately damage the environment.
When FOGs combine with wipes and other sanitary items that shouldn’t be flushed down the toilet, fatbergs can form.
There have been more than 6,000 sewer blockages in the public sewer network so far this year caused by FOGs being poured down the sink and wipes and other inappropriate items being flushed down the toilet.
Following the launch of the campaign, Irish Water offered GunkPots to the first 250 people who registered on www.water.ie/thinkbeforeyoupour.
A GunkPot is a reusable silicone container used to collect cooled cooking fats, oils and grease from roasting trays, pans and plates.
Once hardened, the contents can be thrown into the correct bin and the GunkPot wiped clean, ready for reuse.
More than 1,000 people requested a GunkPot in the first hours of the campaign recently which was really encouraging.
However, a similar container such as an empty egg carton or yogurt pot can also be used to help prevent pipe blockages and protect the marine environment.
GET EDUCATED
To find out more about the Think Before You Pour campaign please visit http://thinkbeforeyouflush.org/think-before-you-pour/
