A host of celebrities are leading a nationwide appeal to clear wildlife-rich canals of harmful plastic waste.
A staggering 14 million pieces of plastic end up in and around our charity's waterways each year - with 500,000 pieces ending up flowing out to sea. This is despite our volunteers spending over 100,000 hours each year clearing litter from towpaths and an annual clean-up bill coming in at a whopping £1 million.
Plastic waste along the country’s waterways has a devastating impact on the precious habitats that are home to wildlife and nature – such as ducks, swans, otters, endangered water voles, fish and amphibians – with many species of wildlife at risk of permanent harm from litter pollution.
Devastating impact on wildlife
Now we're urging the public to take action to end plastic pollution by joining the Big Plastic Pick Up. The initiative is being led by a star-studded team of helpers including TV presenter and Strictly Come Dancing performer Neil Jones, who has pledged his support for the #PlasticChallenge campaign.
Neil said: "I'll be partnering up with my litter picker to help out with the Canal & River Trust’s Big Plastic Pick-Up. Plastic and litter can be dangerous to both people and wildlife, so we urgently need to keep up the fight against it. Together we can help banish plastic rubbish by canals for good.”
Other stars who have supported the campaign include TV presenter and singer Cerys Matthews, presenter Gaby Roslin, celebrity chef and presenter Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, entrepreneur Deborah Meaden, zoologist and presenter Megan McCubbin, Strictly winner and comic Bill Bailey, actor and presenter Tony Robinson, Property Ladder star Sarah Beeny and, of course, The Wombles!
Stop plastic becoming part of our nature
The plan is to stop plastic becoming part of our nature. We're appealing for people to donate £14, pickup 14 pieces of litter and encourage 14 friends to join the fight against plastic. All the funds raised will go towards the ongoing costs incurred by the charity of cleaning our waterways.
We spend £1 million per year removing litter from canals and waterways. Litter often blows into the waterway system from neighbouring streets and land and risks becoming part of nature unless the Trust and our volunteers can remove it.
Whilst annual finds in canals can include weird and peculiar items ranging from pizza delivery bikes, unlocked safes, a 16ft dead python and even the occasional car - it is the volume of the everyday pieces of plastic waste which risk overwhelming the nature along the nation’s canals and rivers.
The government's recently announced budget cuts to look after our 250-year-old canal network will make clearing plastic litter even tougher – which is why this year’s campaign is more important than ever before.
Eoin Harris, head of environment & climate action, said: "It’s the little things we do on our doorstep that can make a world of difference. We have worked out that if everyone visiting our canals and waterways picked up just one piece of plastic, the network would be clear of litter within a year.
“Litter has a devastating impact on the wildlife inhabiting canals and rivers. Animals get entangled in plastic packaging and can suffocate in items such as plastic bags. Creatures can cut themselves on sharp objects thrown away and the rubbish discarded damages the homes and nests that animals spend so long building. Our aim is to be plastic free as soon as possible and that’s why we’re encouraging everyone to get involved with this year’s Big Plastic Pick Up.”
