Longford makeup artist teams up with #ThinkB4UFlush campaign
Longford based makeup artist, Kelly O’Dowd, is teaming up with the Think Before You Flush campaign by urging the people of Longford to make small changes in their flushing behaviour.
Kelly shares why flushing unsuitable items like wet wipes and cotton pads down the toilet is problematic, as well as some tips, on her social media accounts: @kellyodowdmakeupartist on Instagram and Facebook.
There is no denying wet wipes are incredibly useful. Many people love the convenience of disposable makeup remover wipes but are unaware of the problems associated with these single-use items.
As well as coming in plastic packaging, many makeup-remover wipes, baby wipes, and antibacterial wipes contain some form of plastic.
Unfortunately, the plastic in wet wipes does not disappear when you dispose of them – plastic’s biodegradability is low, meaning it can take hundreds, if not thousands of years to break down.
A recent study conducted in Galway, Clare and Mayo by Scientists from Earth and Ocean Sciences and the Ryan Institute at NUIG, found that 50% of wipes labelled as ‘flushable’ were actually made of plastic and were not biodegradable.
Longford, as well as having the River Camlin flowing through it, is a stone’s throw from the longest river on the island of Ireland, The River Shannon.
Speaking about the issue of sewage related waste, Kelly said “It’s really disheartening to see rubbish in our local rivers, lakes and coastal areas. So what can we do locally to combat the issue?
“I’m leading by example in my own house because I have four girls, so I’ve completely stopped using cotton pads for taking off my makeup.
“Now I’m using a non-abrasive or soft face cloth with a bit of warm water and cleanser to take off my makeup. It’s so simple, it’s effective and it’s reusable - you can put it in the washing machine.
“Another thing that I’m doing is obviously making sure we have bins in all our bathrooms, so there’s no reason for anybody to even want to put anything down the toilet.
“We’re all going to be here now for another Summer, so why not enjoy what we have around us, keep it clean and make sure that we dispose of things properly so that we can all enjoy the lovely country we have with our families.”