As October comes to an end, we summarise our Unblocktober campaign.
Yearly, we participate in Unblocktober, a campaign to save our sewers and seas. Working alongside rivers across the catchment, the Trust sees the impact of #nonflushables in our freshwaters every day, often as they float downstream towards seas where they contribute to an even larger problem of plastic pollution along our shorelines. This is why we’ve always been passionate about getting involved in Unblocktober, working to educate people on the small changes they can make, that can have a big impact – all beginning in your home!
Though we may be at the end of the month of October, the battle to save our sewers and seas continues. We’ll look back briefly on some of what we’ve shared and learned this month and show you how taking some simple steps could make a big difference today.
Above: A demonstration of the negative impact plastic wrappers have on our sewers and freshwaters. This was found in the Forth catchment around 4 and a half years ago, still looking entirely intact for its age.
In our #Unblocktober research, we found some shocking facts about plastic degradability (or lack thereof) at this link. We also highlighted how our citizen science projects, like Outfall Safari, can help you learn about and take steps to protect your local river from the pressures of pollution.Â
Early October saw us sharing some nasty FOG (fat, oil and grease) facts. Did you know that 48% of UK households have admitted to sending fats and oils down the drain? These lead to fatbergs – clogging sewers, resulting in costly removals (and grim sights like the one below).
So how can you carry on the Unblocktober legacy? Here’s a few suggestions:
• Consider using sustainable alternatives to products eg. reusable makeup wipes, eco-friendly cotton buds, washable cloth sanitary products or menstrual cups.
• Fat and oil left in pans and trays after cooking should be collected in a container, left to cool and congeal, and once solidified, it should be binned.
• Invest in a sink strainer. These are cost-effective drain protectors that sit in the plughole of your kitchen sink, catching any food waste and debris before it heads down the drain – allowing for you to bin it.
• Give plates and pans an extra wipe with kitchen roll before they go into the sink or dishwasher.
• If you don’t already have a bathroom bin, investing in one can save the temptation to flush items that shouldn’t be.
And last but not least, you can have your say in the ongoing consultation to ban plastic wet wipes. Read more at the Scottish Government website here – but you have until the 25th of November to answer the consultation which asks about the benefits of banning plastic-containing wet wipes among other things. If there’s one thing you could do to better your local river today, then take 10 minutes and have your say, supporting the Scottish Water ‘Nature Calls’ campaigns years of work, and importantly, making a difference for everything living in the rivers and seas!
Stay tuned for more updates coming on all of our platforms, including new project announcements, the return of our Fish in the Classroom work, and more!
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And check out our Linktree, where you can watch our ‘A Year in the Life of’ documentary, or make a donation to support our work.Â