Green Limerick: Keep drains clear this holiday season

THIS holiday season, Clean Coasts and Uisce Éireann are calling all washer-uppers in Limerick to “think before you pour”, as they say “oil I want for Christmas is clear drains!”

“Cool, collect and bin” is the message for all those cooking and cleaning up this Christmas in Limerick, especially when it comes to fats, oils, and greases (FOGs) as they can cause serious damage to our homes, our communities, and the environment.

Clean Coasts and Uisce Éireann are joining forces with TV presenter, known for former show Xposé, Cassie Stokes, for this festive campaign which reminds us that when FOGs are poured down the sink, they can cause sewage overflows that can pollute our rivers, beaches, and oceans.

Campaigners say the solution to these expensive home plumbing blockages is to scrape your plates and wipe your pots and pans before washing them, and use a sink strainer to collect any smaller food scraps.

READ ALSO: Twelve ways to enjoy Limerick Greenway this Christmas

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.

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, this shows that one in 10 Irish people still pour FOGs regularly down the drain.

Mary Hussey, wastewater regional operations senior manager at Uisce Éireann, says “we all have a role to play in protecting our homes, our communities, and our beautiful natural spaces”.

“This Christmas, let’s reduce the number of blockages that lead to wastewater backups, sewage overflows, and environmental pollution,” she said.

“Instead of pouring your cooking oils down the sink, collect them in a heatproof container, let them cool, and then dispose of them in the bin. It’s a simple action that can make a big difference.”

Uisce Éireann clears over 2,000 blockages from the wastewater network every month.

Patrick Cross, Think Before You Pour campaign officer at Clean Coasts, added: “It’s a small change in your kitchen habits that will have a massive impact on our environment and wastewater systems.

“Let's work together to protect our drains, rivers, and beaches – all by making a simple effort to dispose of FOGs the right way.”

In 2024, Uisce Éireann commissioned a survey of the nation’s behaviour when disposing waste down the sink.

1,057 adults were surveyed. Where relevant, comparisons to similar surveys undertaken in previous years are made to assist in understanding of the nation’s behaviour.

The percentage of respondents pouring damaging items down the sink dropped from 50% in 2018 to 40% in 2024. 36% of people still pour FOGS regularly down the drain.

57% of people under 35 dispose of FOGs down the sink regularly.

Consequences include the formation of fatbergs, which are very large masses of solid waste in a sewerage system, consisting of personal hygiene products that have been flushed down toilets.

Clean Coasts is a charity programme, run through the Environmental Education Unit of An Taisce.