South Mayo group works on environmental campaign

Clean Coasts ‘Think Before You Flush’ team headed to picturesque Crossboyne on the banks of the Robe River last month to collect scientific data as part of citizen science research and urged the people of Crossboyne and neighbouring Claremorris to protect their local environment by only flushing the three Ps (pee, poo and paper) down the toilet.

The ‘Think Before You Flush’ campaign, operated by Clean Coasts in partnership with Uisce Éireann, emphasises the importance of appropriate flushing behaviour and disposal of items including wipes and other sanitary products in the bin, even if they are labelled as flushable. Only the three Ps should be flushed down the toilet. When items such as wipes and sanitary products are flushed down the toilet, they can cause serious blockages in sewage systems, causing sewage overflows that can end up polluting our coastal waters, beaches and rivers.

The event was also part of Clean Coasts’ Big Beach Clean, a citizen science clean-up that takes place annually in September and asks the public to record the litter they remove. Surveys such as these tell us that over 80% of marine litter comes from inland sources.

The meet-up in Crossboyne included members of Crossboyne Village Enhancement, a local and community group working in South Mayo, aiming to revitalise and regenerate the village. Crossboyne Village Enhancement working alongside the ‘Think Before You Flush’ campaign removed 30 kilograms of litter and sewage-related litter items from the locality.

Olivia Jones, Clean Coasts coordinator for the Northwest region, said: “One of the strengths of the campaign is working with groups, such as Crossboyne Village Enhancement, who are encouraging behavioural change in this area.”