Lanes Group’s environmental initiative Unblocktober announces event to clean up Manchester’s canals
Environmental and drain health initiative Unblocktober has announced an event to clean up Manchester’s canals. The event is open to the public and they are encouraging people to come to help make Manchester’s Rochdale Canal cleaner.
The event will take place from 11am to 1pm on the 25th October 2022, meeting at M4 6BX next to the New Islington Marina at 10:45am, before beginning the clean up at 11am. PPE, litter pickers and hi-vis equipment will be provided. Volunteers are encouraged to wear suitable clothing and shoes.
The UK has spent decades consistently pouring dangerous liquids and items into our drains, leading to huge damage to our environment and creating fatbergs that clog our pipes and sewers. Unblocktober wishes to highlight the work that we need to do to keep our waterways clear and clean.
Jacob Larkin, Lanes’ spokesperson for Unblocktober, said: “This year, the Unblocktober campaign focus is on how right now is a ‘Time for Action’ to make a true difference in addressing the ecological and climatic impact of poor drain health. There is a climate crisis looming, and we are losing many of our green spaces.
“This year we have launched an event that we want to highlight the need for action now. We cannot keep shying away from the issues that we are seeing in our environment, and a key part of that is the way that we dispose of our waste products. The plastics and fats we are seeing in our drains are having huge implications for our environment and the ecological health of the UK, and it is time to act.”
The canal clean-up will help to remove litter from the area around the canal, preventing this harmful plastic refuse from polluting the water and damaging the marine environment for the wildlife that makes its home in the canal. Participants will be able to see first-hand how plastic pollution affects our waterways, while exemplifying the goals of Unblocktober by doing their bit to reverse the impact this has on the environment.
You can sign up to be a part of the event here: https://www.unblocktober.org/blog/sign-unblocktobers-2022-canal-clean-event-manchester
More about Unblocktober
Unblocktober is a pioneering month-long annual campaign, launched in 2019, that takes place in October to improve the health of our drains, sewers, watercourses and seas – driven completely by the British public. The campaign encourages individuals and businesses to take the Unblocktober pledge, which means committing to keeping potentially damaging waste products away from their drains for the whole month.
This includes any of the following products:
- Cooking oil – pre or post-cooking
- Margarine
- Butter
- Lard
- Cooking sauces and condiments
- Food – even crumbs
- Wet wipes
- Face masks
- Tampons, applicators and wrappers
- Sanitary/menstrual pads and towels
- Nappies
- Condoms
- Cotton buds
- Contact lenses
- Bandages and plasters
- Razor blades
- Dental floss
- Rubber gloves
These huge fatbergs block drains and sewers, causing them to work less effectively than they should. This has led to huge ecological impacts and is causing increased pollution in our waterways at a time when we simply cannot afford to be creating any more environmental damage.
For more information on the campaign and how to get involved, visit: https://www.unblocktober.org/
