Lanes Group has welcomed the success of an event to clean up Manchester’s canals, in support of environmental and drain health initiative Unblocktober. The event took place on 25th October 2022 under authorisation of the Canal & River Trust, and was supported by local businesses such as Clever Closet and I-COM, as well as members of the general public.

The group spent two hours picking up litter on the canal banks in the New Islington area of the city and in that time filled ten bin bags with waste left on the banks of the canal. The clean up found a huge range of items on the banks from glass to cotton buds to plastic bags and wet wipes. The initiative was designed to highlight how our waste disposal habits can have a negative impact on the environment, a key message of the Unblocktober campaign. Participants were able to see first-hand how plastic pollution affects our waterways, while exemplifying the goals of Unblocktober by doing their bit to undo some of the damage.

The UK has spent decades consistently putting unsuitable items into our drains, including everything from cooking oils to cotton buds, condoms and wet wipes. These items can coagulate to create fatbergs that clog our pipes and sewers, or enter waterways and cause huge damage to our environment. Unblocktober wishes to highlight the steps that all of us can take to keep our waterways clear and clean.

Jacob Larkin, Lanes’ spokesperson for Unblocktober, said: “This year, the Unblocktober campaign focused on how now is a ‘Time for Action’. We all need to work together to address the ecological and climatic impact of poor drain health, as the environmental challenges we face become more urgent. If everyone does their part, we can make a true difference.

“We are so grateful to all the members of the public and businesses who came to the event. The clean-up had a fantastic impact not only on the local area, but on raising awareness of the issue of drain health with members of the public. Those who attended chatted to the team members taking part, which gave us the chance to highlight the need for action now. We are excited to build on this year’s success next year and to keep working towards the goals of Unblocktober.”

More about Unblocktober

Unblocktober is a pioneering annual campaign launched in 2019, that takes place each October. The aim is to improve the health of our drains, sewers, watercourses and seas, and the event is 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
Flushing these items can result in huge fatbergs, which block drains and sewers and can result in flooding or other significant environmental problems. This in turn can cause increased pollution in our waterways, at a time when we cannot afford to create any more environmental damage.

For more information on the campaign and how to get involved, visit: https://www.unblocktober.org/