Latest news with #rivercleanup
BBC News
4 days ago
- General
- BBC News
More than 60 bags of litter fished from River Soar
Volunteers say they fished out more than 60 bags of litter from a mile-long section of the River Soar in the space of a of the items recovered included a mattress, a safe and a religious clean-up involved 100 people on kayaks, canoes and paddleboards removing the waste as part of a national effort to clear rivers of plastic and rubbish. The litter picks were carried out by people from local groups and businesses along one mile (1.6km) of the river either side of Leicester Outdoor Pursuits Centre in Belgrave. The groups paddled along the river equipped with litter pickers, gloves and waste bags to remove the floating rubbish, as well as objects stuck in the Leicester Outdoor Pursuits Centre teamed up with Paddle UK - previously named British Canoeing - for the 2025 Big Paddle Cleanup from 24 May and through the half-term week as part of a national effort to clear litter from UK rivers. Parents and children had been encouraged to take to the water during the school holidays as part of the clean-up of the volunteers was 10-year old Ada who says it is not difficult to find a bin rather than throw rubbish in the river."We even found whole bags full of rubbish in there. It was easier to pick them out, but it isn't nice because people should just put it in the bin, it's not that hard."Meanwhile, Arya, also aged 10, says she felt sad lifting a statue of The Virgin Mary from the river during her clear up."Someone just discarded it, it wasn't nice to see as it means a lot to people," she said. Damaging to wildlife Hayley Smitham Hopewell, education and development manager at the pursuits centre, says the volunteers have found some unsettling things in the river in their recent clean up."Unfortunately, we found a dog, which meant we had to call the RSPCA, which was very sad. We also find mattresses, safes filled with valuables, gold and even a motorbike."She also says more than 1,000 bags of rubbish have been recovered from the river since she joined the facility, indicating that despite their efforts, the problem still persists."I understand that people want to use the river as a sanctuary by throwing flowers in etc," she added."But some of the things we find are bits of jewellery, photo frames or ornaments, which is really damaging to the wildlife and to the children who come here." Sue Willis, engagement co-ordinator for the Canal and River Trust visited the site during the week to understand the scale of the problem."It's quite surprising how bad it is, what you see on the surface is the wrappers and crisp packets but beneath the surface is lots of plastic bags and even big pieces of iron - things that aren't visible to the eye unless you go out on the boats."
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'Chicago River Day' shows progress with less trash, more wildlife
The Brief More than 2,700 volunteers cleaned up 92 sites across the Chicago and Calumet rivers on Saturday. Organizers say river health is improving, with 80 fish species now living in the waterway. Wildlife sightings and smaller, windblown trash signal long-term progress. CHICAGO - Volunteers turned out by the thousands on Saturday to help clean up Chicago's river system, marking the 33rd year of the annual "Chicago River Day." What we know More than 2,700 people gathered at 92 locations along the Chicago and Calumet rivers to remove trash. The event, organized by Friends of the Chicago River, has grown significantly since its first cleanup in 1992, when only 25 volunteers showed up. This year's cleanup effort underscores how far the river system has come. "There's so much less garbage than there used to be," said Margaret Frisbie, executive director of Friends of the Chicago River. "People used the river as a dumping ground. And instead, today, that's gone." Frisbie said most of the large, intentional dumping is no longer an issue. "What we're seeing is food-related garbage and a lot of plastic," she said, estimating that 80% of the trash volunteers collect now is small, windblown plastic debris. Big picture view The improving state of the river system is backed up by more than just less trash. Organizers noted the presence of 80 fish species now living in the river—an increase that signals healthier water. Volunteers also reported seeing beavers, turtles, and even river otters along the banks, all signs that the river is supporting more diverse wildlife. The Source The information in this article was provided by the Friends of the Chicago River.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
River clean-up sees 6,000 tyres pulled from water
Thousands of tyres have been pulled from a river in a major clean-up to help the environment and wildlife. Over the past five days 6,000 tyres, which could have been there for decades, were removed by six excavators from the River Ogmore, in Bridgend. Organisers have described it as Wales' largest community river clean, with hundreds of volunteers taking part. Two years ago, 2,000 tyres were removed from the bed of the river, along with up to 100 trolleys, and a fridge. Organisers said that was only the start, adding they are still only halfway through and plan further clean-up operations to remove all the tyres. River clean-up sees 2,000 tyres pulled from water World record for volunteer river clean-up smashed Alun Phillips runs environmental charity, A Peace for Nature, and organised the clean-up. "What we did a couple of years ago was just scratching the surface really. It was a bit of a pilot to see if we need to do it again and as soon as we did it everyone was asking how are we going to get the rest of the tyres out." Mr Phillips said this years clean-up also removed 10 tonnes of rubbish as well as the 6,000 tyres. "I believe there is a total of 13,000 tyres to remove from the river. We've now removed 8,000 over two river cleans." Hundreds of volunteers took part including children from local schools and colleges. Mr Phillips added: "With over 90 organisations taking part, this has been Wales' largest river clean to date and we aim to continue to improve the environment in Wales with further community projects. "We have a community of companies helping here and we have community of volunteers including schools and colleges, there's been lots and lots of support." Volunteers from Keep Wales Tidy were involved in this year's clean-up as well as the one in August 2023 - when they also recovered three to four tonnes of scrap, 100 bags of litter, about 100 shopping trolleys, a fridge and traffic cones. Owen Derbyshire, Keep Wales Tidy's chief executive officer, said: "It's a huge challenge but we know the health of our rivers is massively important not just at a community level but also at a national level. "Times are tough at the moment, there isn't as much money in public finances but this is why it's more important than ever that we take individual responsibility." He added that shopping trolleys were not ending up in the river by accident and "we need to call it out". "We need to do all we can as a nation to reduce the amount of waste and that type of behaviour for the long term," he said. Gerwyn Chillcot from Bridgend is volunteering at the clean-up and said the mess was "disgusting". "To think all this mess that has been dumped over the years is disgusting, but it's good it's being cleaned up now for the environment. "This is toxic at the end of the day and all the chemicals from the tyres are going into the water." Sandra Ricardo from Cardiff Rivers group said it was unclear how the tyres ended up in the river. Ms Ricardo said one theory is the tyres were used to "shore up" the edging of the river bank decades ago but also fears many could have been fly-tipped over the years. "Why do people do this? You can take your rubbish to the council tip. "Fly-tipping is a big issue especially in Cardiff. You see mattresses dumped and fridge freezers, it's a real problem." Environmental campaigners said the toxic rubbish could wipe out the wildlife on the river. Andrew Stride, from Ogmore Angling Association, said he had seen fish levels decrease in the river over the years, "It has a huge impact on the fish population, these tyres are releasing chemicals that will affect the invertebrates and if they're killed off that will affect the fish and especially the salmon and sewin which come up this river. "This toxic waste will just make it even worse." Angharad Brown, president of the Merthyr Mawr Women's Institute, co-ordinated volunteers at the clean-up operation. "It's important for us to be involved in such a worthwhile community project, which fits in with our own campaign for cleaner rivers and waterways in Wales," she said. Volunteers remove 2,000 tyres from riverbed How much sewage is spilled near you? Sewage leaks catastrophic, say campaigners
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
River clean-up sees 6,000 tyres pulled from water
Thousands of tyres have been pulled from a river in a major clean-up to help the environment and wildlife. Over the past five days 6,000 tyres, which could have been there for decades, were removed by six excavators from the River Ogmore, in Bridgend. Organisers have described it as Wales' largest community river clean, with hundreds of volunteers taking part. Two years ago, 2,000 tyres were removed from the bed of the river, along with up to 100 trolleys, and a fridge. Organisers said that was only the start, adding they are still only halfway through and plan further clean-up operations to remove all the tyres. River clean-up sees 2,000 tyres pulled from water World record for volunteer river clean-up smashed Alun Phillips runs environmental charity, A Peace for Nature, and organised the clean-up. "What we did a couple of years ago was just scratching the surface really. It was a bit of a pilot to see if we need to do it again and as soon as we did it everyone was asking how are we going to get the rest of the tyres out." Mr Phillips said this years clean-up also removed 10 tonnes of rubbish as well as the 6,000 tyres. "I believe there is a total of 13,000 tyres to remove from the river. We've now removed 8,000 over two river cleans." Hundreds of volunteers took part including children from local schools and colleges. Mr Phillips added: "With over 90 organisations taking part, this has been Wales' largest river clean to date and we aim to continue to improve the environment in Wales with further community projects. "We have a community of companies helping here and we have community of volunteers including schools and colleges, there's been lots and lots of support." Volunteers from Keep Wales Tidy were involved in this year's clean-up as well as the one in August 2023 - when they also recovered three to four tonnes of scrap, 100 bags of litter, about 100 shopping trolleys, a fridge and traffic cones. Owen Derbyshire, Keep Wales Tidy's chief executive officer, said: "It's a huge challenge but we know the health of our rivers is massively important not just at a community level but also at a national level. "Times are tough at the moment, there isn't as much money in public finances but this is why it's more important than ever that we take individual responsibility." He added that shopping trolleys were not ending up in the river by accident and "we need to call it out". "We need to do all we can as a nation to reduce the amount of waste and that type of behaviour for the long term," he said. Gerwyn Chillcot from Bridgend is volunteering at the clean-up and said the mess was "disgusting". "To think all this mess that has been dumped over the years is disgusting, but it's good it's being cleaned up now for the environment. "This is toxic at the end of the day and all the chemicals from the tyres are going into the water." Sandra Ricardo from Cardiff Rivers group said it was unclear how the tyres ended up in the river. Ms Ricardo said one theory is the tyres were used to "shore up" the edging of the river bank decades ago but also fears many could have been fly-tipped over the years. "Why do people do this? You can take your rubbish to the council tip. "Fly-tipping is a big issue especially in Cardiff. You see mattresses dumped and fridge freezers, it's a real problem." Environmental campaigners said the toxic rubbish could wipe out the wildlife on the river. Andrew Stride, from Ogmore Angling Association, said he had seen fish levels decrease in the river over the years, "It has a huge impact on the fish population, these tyres are releasing chemicals that will affect the invertebrates and if they're killed off that will affect the fish and especially the salmon and sewin which come up this river. "This toxic waste will just make it even worse." Angharad Brown, president of the Merthyr Mawr Women's Institute, co-ordinated volunteers at the clean-up operation. "It's important for us to be involved in such a worthwhile community project, which fits in with our own campaign for cleaner rivers and waterways in Wales," she said. Volunteers remove 2,000 tyres from riverbed How much sewage is spilled near you? Sewage leaks catastrophic, say campaigners
