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Huge reduction in litter pollution thanks to RiverCare group

Planning and Environment
10:18, Monday, 25th October 2021

Volunteers dedicated to cleaning up the river bank at East Halton celebrated their first anniversary by clearing more waste from the shores of the Humber estuary.

East Halton RiverCare have carried out eight clean-ups over the past year, covering 1.35 square miles of the Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Among the 127 bags of debris they have collected over the year has been 867 cans, 806 plastic bottles, four car tyres, a bathroom suite, a paddling pool, a chandelier, some giant magic cards and a gas mask.

The volunteer programme is delivered by Keep Britain Tidy, in partnership with Anglian Water, and supported by the Humber Nature Partnership, Able UK, North Lincolnshire Council and Humberside Police.

In their first ever clean up in September 2020 the group cleared away 320 cans and 210 plastic bottles. The last collection brought in 23 cans and 41 plastic bottles.

Catherine Holborn from Keep Britain Tidy said: “The impact the team have made in the area is vast. We can see the levels of waste found at the Skitter has been significantly reduced in just one year, thanks to the efforts of East Halton RiverCare.”

Jackson Sage from Humber Nature Partnership said: “The area had been viewed by some as a ‘no-go’ area in the past due to huge amounts of litter being dumped and frequent issues with anti-social behaviour.

“Over the past 12 months it has been fantastic to see the community come together with the support of Humberside Police and Able UK to return the site to its former glory for both residents and local wildlife”.

The Humber Estuary is a European Marine Site and a wetland of international importance that supports a massive number of wildfowl and waders which regularly use the mudflats and saltmarsh.

As well as maintaining the beauty of the foreshore with regular river cleans, the volunteers are helping track and monitor important local species through wildlife surveys.

For more information and to join in with a river clean or wildlife survey, email rivercare@keepbritaintidy.org or follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RiverCare/