Residents of Helensburgh are being asked to support an environmental campaign designed to bring major improvements to the area's coastal waters.
West of Scotland Water's Think Before You Flush Campaign, which was launched in Victoria Halls last Thursday (February 17), is designed to make people think twice before flushing sanitary waste items down the toilet.
Instead, items such as cotton buds, condoms, tampons and applicators, should be bagged and binned.
The public gave their full support to the campaign at its launch last week.
The Authority explained at the launch how sanitary waste can cause operational problems within the waste water system and often ends up as unsightly pollution on beaches.
West of Scotland Water representatives took onboard the opinions and views of the public at the launch and agreed to extend the study area to include Portincaple.
The campaign itself will be carried out by researchers from the Waste Water Technology Centre at the University of Abertay, Dundee.
Preliminary studies have already shown that half a million sanitary waste items end up on Helensburgh's beach each year.
The idea now is to raise public awareness of the problem and to check at a later stage whether the amount of sanitary material being flushed has decreased as a result.
Dr Nicky Souter, who is leading the research, says: "It is not just about putting up posters, we have plans to involve the public as much as possible and education will play an important part.
"This will involve a variety of imaginative school projects and presentations to youth organisations like Brownies, Scouts, and Guides. At adult level we intend doing presentations to as many community groups as possible."
Jarvis McFadzean, Customer & Environmental Services Director, said: "The launch last week of the Think Before You Flush campaign was a great success.
"It gave the Authority the opportunity to discuss the problem of sanitary waste with members of the community.
"It is important to be aware of the damage sanitary waste items cause to the environment.
"Simple actions such as thinking before you flush play a vital role in the protection of the local environment.
for more information contact
Press Office
Tel 0141 355 5491
Fax 0141 355 5115
Email : PR@westscotlandwater.org.uk
419 BALMORE ROAD, GLASGOW, G22 6NU
