This Christmas, Clean Coasts and Uisce Éireann are teaming up to urge every home cook, chef-in-the-making, and, of course, the washer-uppers of Ireland to Think Before You Pour - especially when it comes to Fats, Oils, and Greases (FOGs) from cooking. Instead take time to - Cool, Collect and Bin!
Press play on the image above where Barry from news2day finds out about fatbergs. The most unwanted thing this festive season. These happen when FOGs harden in pipes. Fatbergs are giant masses of waste that clog our sewers and wreak havoc on the environment.
FOGs, when poured down the sink, can cause expensive blockages in our home plumbing, pipes and wastewater networks leading to sewage overflows that can pollute our rivers, beaches, and oceans. The solution?
It's simple: let FOGs cool, collect them and stick them in the bin! It’s also a great idea to scrape your plates and wipe your pots and pans before washing them and use a sink strainer to collect any smaller food scraps.
Why it Matters
A new survey* revealed that we’ve made progress around the proper disposal of FOGs (with the number of people regularly pouring them down the sink dropping from 44% to 36% since 2018 ); however many people are still guilty of this kitchen no-no.
The Hidden Dangers of FOGs
While FOGs may be in a liquid form when poured, they quickly cool and harden in pipes. Over time, these solidified fats, oils, and greases form blockages that can disrupt home plumbing, business operations, and even the broader wastewater network. And that’s not all – FOGs combine with wipes, hair, and dental floss to create fatbergs. These blockages lead to costly repairs, local flooding, and serious environmental damage.
Uisce Éireann clears over 2,000 blockages from the wastewater network every month - including those stubborn fatbergs. That’s 2,000 opportunities for us all to make a difference.
The Good News
By simply thinking before you pour, you’re already making a huge difference. Not only will you prevent blockages in your own home and avoid unnecessary repairs, but you’ll also be helping to protect the environment and reduce pollution in our rivers, beaches, and oceans. It’s a small change that makes a big impact.
This Christmas, let’s all make a commitment to Think Before You Pour – for the sake of our homes, our communities, and the planet we all share.
Remember: Cool, Collect, Bin – It’s that easy!
