Unblocktober

Categories:: Special Interest
Tags:: Activities Environment
Where:: United Kingdom
Date change rule:: Every October
Holiday emoji:: 🌊

Unblocktober champions cleaner waterways and drains throughout October. This month-long campaign urges individuals and businesses to rethink waste disposal habits, preventing harmful blockages in our sewers and natural water systems. Commit to small changes, like properly disposing of fats, oils, and grease, to safeguard our environment and promote a healthier planet for all.

Deals
Platforms
Social
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History
Timeline
FAQs
Importance
Observe

Expected Unblocktober Deals

As a vital environmental cause, Unblocktober focuses on awareness and action rather than commercial deals. However, many organizations and brands support the initiative through educational campaigns and product innovations. Look for partnerships between environmental charities like Water UK and companies such as Thames Water or Anglian Water, which may offer free educational resources or community clean-up events. Brands producing eco-friendly cleaning products, like Ecover or Method, might highlight their sustainable solutions. We encourage direct engagement with the official Unblocktober campaign for resources on how to participate and contribute to cleaner drains. We will update this page with confirmed live initiatives as October approaches.

Platform Guide for Unblocktober

Instagram

Tag @nationaltoday_ and use #Unblocktober. Share visuals of proper waste disposal, eco-friendly swaps, or local waterway clean-up efforts.

Facebook

Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #Unblocktober. Join community groups dedicated to environmental action and share tips for keeping drains clear.

X/Twitter

Mention @NatlToday and use #Unblocktober. Tweet about the importance of preventing fatbergs and advocate for better waste infrastructure.

Unblocktober Hero

The Unblocktober Campaign

Unblocktober is a unique campaign launched in 2019 by Lanes Group plc, a wastewater and drainage solutions provider in the UK. The initiative aims to raise public awareness about the damaging impact of pouring fats, oils, and grease (FOG) and flushing unflushable items down drains. It encourages individuals and businesses to commit to responsible waste disposal throughout October, helping to prevent sewer blockages and protect the environment from 'fatbergs' and pollution.

History of Unblocktober

A beautiful beach where there are no waste materials scattered all over the sand. That is a sight that is fast disappearing from our modern world. Our world is getting more and more dominated by waste and pollution with each passing day. The generation of waste is not a new problem; it is as old as human civilization. The first landfills started to appear around 3000 B.C. Waste management was an issue that haunted both ancient civilizations as much as it does modern cities. Improper waste management can also introduce deadly diseases like the bubonic plague, which killed around 25 million people.

The modern waste management system has even worse nightmares in the form of plastic and chemical waste. The increase in the human population has made it even more difficult for those in charge of waste management. To make the cities clean, sewers and drains were introduced to constantly remove waste from the city.

However, new age waste is causing issues even in waste collection. Microplastic waste and chemical waste can clog sewers and drainage systems. It can also lead to the creation of fatbergs that can be huge and weigh several tons. This harmful waste can also reach the oceans, where it can affect the important and delicate ecosystem of the ocean. Plastic does not decompose in water and would be there for centuries. It can adversely affect several marine life species. Unblocktober is a month-long campaign that was launched to address issues like this. It is a month to make small but important changes for a better future.

Unblocktober timeline

4000 B.C.

The First Sewer System

Mesopotamians uses the first sewer system to remove wastewater from various sites.

500 B.C.

First Trash Regulation

Athens, a Greek city, devises one of the first known regulations for trash management.

1862

Invention Of Plastic

Alexander Parkes introduces Parkesine, the first manmade plastic, at the London International Exhibition.

2019

Unblocktober

The month of Unblocktober begins in October 2019 to act on the problems caused by waste management.

Unblocktober FAQs

When is Unblocktober?

Unblocktober 2026 runs throughout October, from Thursday, October 1, to Saturday, October 31. It’s a full month dedicated to improving our waste disposal habits and protecting our waterways.

What are 'fatbergs' and why are they a problem?

Fatbergs are huge, congealed masses of fats, oils, and grease (FOG) mixed with non-biodegradable items like wet wipes, sanitary products, and diapers. They form in sewers, causing blockages that lead to raw sewage overflowing into streets, homes, and waterways, costing millions to remove and posing serious health and environmental risks.

How much does sewer misuse cost annually?

Sewer misuse, primarily from flushing unflushables and pouring FOG down drains, costs the UK alone an estimated £100 million annually to clear blockages. Globally, these figures are substantially higher, impacting infrastructure and environmental health.

What are the 'three Ps' of flushing?

The ‘three Ps’ refer to the only things that should ever be flushed down a toilet: pee, poo, and paper (toilet paper). Everything else, including wet wipes, cotton buds, and sanitary products, should be disposed of in a bin to prevent blockages.

How to Observe Unblocktober

Pledge to change
Take a pledge to be responsible for waste management. Make sure you have a system to collect and properly process waste rather than just flushing it down the toilet.
Create a waste collection system
Create a systematic waste collection method to properly process the waste materials. Reduce, reuse, and recycle. Segregate organic waste from inorganic and plastic waste separately.
Find alternatives to synthetic products
Try to reduce the use of plastic materials. There are always eco-friendly options available to substitute plastic. It might cost more, but it will be better for nature.

5 Interesting Facts About Waste

Five Trillion plastic bags
Around five trillion plastic bags are made every year worldwide.
8.5 billion plastic straws
Britain alone uses around 8.5 billion plastic straws every year, and most of them end up in the ocean.
Below 3% recycled
Of all the plastic used all over the world, less than 3% is ever recycled.
More plastic than planktons
In the North Pacific Ocean, there is six times more plastic waste than there are planktons.
100-ton fatberg
The biggest fatberg found weights around 100 tons, equivalent to 13 African elephants.

Why Unblocktober is Important

Clean and smooth drainage system
Unblocktober is the month to prioritize cleaning our sewers, drainage, and other bodies of water of plastic and other chemical waste. Every year, thousands of people volunteer for the campaign, and the result is a cleaner world.
Less maintanance
The maintenance cost will be critically reduced with a clean sewage system and constant blockage will not happen, and the overall maintenance needs will be reduced. We are also creating a better waste collection system along with the same.
Reduce roadblocks
Every time there is sewer maintenance, traffic blocks will happen as the workers will have to open up the sewer system. The resultant loss of time and effort can be reduced with a cleaner sewer system.