The City of Cape Town‘s Water and Sanitation Directorate has partnered with community organisations RethinkTheStink and Save a Fishie to take the #BinItDontFlushIt message into schools and communities, in a bid to tackle sewer blockages and plastic pollution.

Supported through the City’s grant funding programme, the partnership focuses on the Lower Diep River sub-catchment, upstream of the Milnerton Lagoon.

Only the 3 Ps belong in the toilet

The #BinItDontFlushIt campaign highlights the link between the incorrect disposal of waste, sewer blockages and pollution entering rivers and the ocean. It promotes the ‘3 Ps’ — poop, pee and toilet paper — as the only items that should be flushed.

Wet wipes, sanitary products, disposable nappies, earbuds and lollipop sticks, among other items, belong in the bin, the City said.

Education meets community action

As part of the project, RethinkTheStink is educating residents, learners and the broader public about responsible disposal, while Save a Fishie is supporting the campaign through community beach and river clean-ups.

The project includes educational awareness programmes at five schools, awareness sessions at three community centres, public bathroom signage, interactive visual displays, community beach and river clean-ups, behavioural surveys and a targeted social media campaign.

‘It starts with our own behaviour’

Zahid Badroodien, Mayco member for Water and Sanitation, said partnerships were an essential part of the toolkit that helps protect waterways and require sustained work both within the City and in communities.

“Community organisations bring local knowledge, relationships and hands-on experience that help us reach more residents and encourage responsible waste disposal,” he said.

“Through our grant funding programme, we support organisations in turning that shared commitment into practical action. Our partnership with RethinkTheStink and Save a Fishie connects education with community involvement, helping residents understand how everyday choices can prevent sewer blockages and reduce pollution.”

Caroline Marx from RethinkTheStink thanked the City for its support of the #BinItDontFlushIt campaign, which highlights the often-unseen consequences of flushing anything other than the 3 P’s.

“Through public education and community action, we can all play a role in reducing these preventable blockages and pollution. It starts with our own behaviour,” said Marx.

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