Block party! Donegal schoolkids urged to create terrifying ‘Fatbergs’

To celebrate its 10th anniversary, the ‘Think Before You Flush’ campaign is launching a nationwide competition for primary school pupils aged 8 to 10. In anticipation of Halloween, the campaign is challenging pupils to create something truly frightening.

Fatbergs are large blockages that form in sewers when inappropriate items are flushed down our toilets. They can block sewage pipes, cause dirty water to overflow, and harm rivers, the sea and wildlife.

Sewage workers have described fatbergs as “monsters from the deep.” The largest fatberg ever was found in a sewer in Whitechapel, London nearly ten years ago. This enormous blockage was 250 metres long and weighed an estimated 130 tonnes.

To put that into perspective, the Whitechapel Fatberg was as long as two football pitches and as heavy as eleven double-decker buses, and took sewage workers over two months to remove.

Think Before You Flush is inviting primary pupils to create their own model fatbergs using clean craft, recycled materials or whatever takes their fancy. The fatbergs can take the form of a character or whatever the pupils envision. Creative licence is strongly encouraged!

Pupils may enter as a class. Multiple classes may enter from a single school if they wish to. Cash prizes will be awarded. Alongside this, the winning school will receive a special celebratory visit from the Clean Coasts team on World Toilet Day, Thursday, 19th November 2026.

Uisce Éireann’s Head of Wastewater Operations, Nuala Woods, is encouraging all Donegal schools to take part, saying: “By learning what should and shouldn’t be flushed down the toilet, students can help protect our rivers, beaches and local communities.”

“Items such as wet wipes and cotton buds do not break down in the wastewater system and can cause blockages in our network, pumping stations and wastewater treatment plants and can lead to sewage overflows impacting some of our most beautiful coastal and river locations.”

Nuala added: “We remove around 10,000 blockages from our network every year, so we need everyone’s help to spread the message: Think Before You Flush.”

Maria-Assunta Lawton, Clean Coasts Campaign Officer, noted how the Fatberg Competition offers primary school pupils a fun and creative way to learn about a serious environmental issue.

“By building their own model fatberg, children can see how everyday flushing habits affect our wastewater network, waterways and marine environment. We hope pupils will bring that knowledge home and inspire small changes that can make a real difference to the environment,” she explained.

The Think Before You Flush campaign is operated by Clean Coasts, An Taisce in partnership with Uisce Éireann. It 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 3 Ps, pee, poo and (toilet) paper, should be flushed down the toilet. Everything else goes in the bin.

For full details of the competition, to view the Schools Information Pack or sign your class up, please visit thinkbeforeyouflush.org.