Don't be a pain in the drain

Residents across Cork city and county are being asked not to pour fats, oils and greases down the kitchen sink as Christmas draws closer.

It’s part of the Think Before you Pour Christmas campaign being run by Clean Coasts and Irish Water which was launched this week.

It comes after a recent survey from Irish Water revealed that 58 per cent of the public pour fats, oils and greases (FOGs) down the sink.

Speaking about the campaign Pat Britton, Irish Water said: “We have cleared almost 8,000 reported sewer blockages already this year caused by FOGs being poured down the kitchen sink combined with inappropriate items such as baby wipes being flushed down the toilet. Thousands of other blockages were removed in the course of planned works on the network. This demonstrates the size and scale of the challenge we face to keep the sewer network blockage free.

“Our message is simple. This Christmas we want to remind the public not to use their kitchen sink as a bin.

“Think before you pour and use a GunkPot or a similar container to collect FOGs and help to prevent pipe blockages and protect the marine environment.”

When FOGs combine with wipes and other sanitary items that shouldn’t be flushed down the toilet, fatbergs can form with Irish Water saying that it cleared thousands of fatbergs from the wastewater network this year.

FOGs seem like liquid when poured but, once they cool along somewhere along the pipes, they can cause blockages in homes, businesses, the public sewer network and wastewater treatment plants, and even lead to overflows of sewage that can damage the environment.

Speaking about the campaign, Sinead McCoy, Clean Coasts said: “Clean Coasts are delighted to launch the Christmas Think Before you Pour campaign in partnership with Irish Water. With sustainability being one of the key talking points this year, you too can play your part to help the environment by thinking before pouring this.”