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Unblocktober – October 2024

Unblocktober is celebrated throughout October. It is going to be a full-month-long cleaning campaign to clean our sewers, drains, and other water bodies. It is also the world’s first whole-month campaign for a cleaner future. Our modern lifestyle has some nasty leftovers that can pollute our environment and damage nature. This month is about making small lifestyle changes in how we dispose of waste materials like plastic, wet wipes, grease, sanitary napkins, condoms, bandages, etc. These waste materials can clog our waterways, sewers, and drains and cause ecological and economic damage. So start making small changes and save nature.

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

How could fatbergs be prevented and destroyed?

Turning fatbergs into fuel is an effective way to make some good out of a bad situation. But it is always best to prevent these fatbergs from forming in the first place. Avoid pouring grease down the drain and flushing wet wipes.

Can you flush a tampon?

Not at all. Tampons can cause plumbing blockages that can lead to sewage backflow, which can result in a health hazard and expensive repairs. Collect tampons in facial tissue or toilet paper and put them into the garbage.

How much plastic is in the ocean 2021?

There are more than 363 billion pounds of plastic waste in the world’s oceans.

How to Observe Unblocktober

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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

  1. Five Trillion plastic bags

    Around five trillion plastic bags are made every year worldwide.

  2. 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.

  3. Below 3% recycled

    Of all the plastic used all over the world, less than 3% is ever recycled.

  4. More plastic than planktons

    In the North Pacific Ocean, there is six times more plastic waste than there are planktons.

  5. 100-ton fatberg

    The biggest fatberg found weights around 100 tons, equivalent to 13 African elephants.

Why Unblocktober is Important

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

Unblocktober dates

YearDateDay
2024October 1Tuesday
2025October 1Wednesday
2026October 1Thursday
2027October 1Friday
2028October 1Sunday
Elderly Filipino Week
Fungal Disease Awareness Week
National Walk Your Dog Week
Ancestors' Day
Balloons Around the World Day
Balloons Around the World Day
CD Player Day
CD Player Day
China National Day
Cyprus Independence Day
Filipino American Month
Filipino American History Month
International Coffee Day
​International Day of Older Persons
International Music Day
International Music Day
Investiture Ceremony of the Captains Regent
Model T Day
Model T Day
National Black Dog Day
National Day of China
National Fire Pup Day
National Fruit at Work Day
National Hair Day
National Homemade Cookie Day
National Lace Day
National Poetry Day
National Raccoon Day
Nigeria Independence Day
Pchum Ben
ROK Alliance Day
Teacher's Day in Uzbekistan
Tuvalu Independence Day
World Sake Day
World Vegetarian Day
ADHD Awareness Month
Adopt a Shelter Dog Month
AIDS Awareness Month
American Pharmacists Month
American Pharmacists Month
Bat Appreciation Month
Bat Appreciation Month
Black Speculative Fiction Month
Blindness Awareness Month
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Caffeine Addiction Recovery Month
Celebrate The Bilingual Child Month
Celebrate The Bilingual Child Month
Church-Library
Church Library Month
Contact Lens Safety Month
Country Music Month
Critical Illness Awareness Month
Dental Hygiene Month
Down Syndrome Awareness Month
Dyslexia Awareness Month
Eat Better, Eat Together Month
Emotional Wellness Month
Eye Injury Prevention Month
Fair Trade Month
Family History Month
Financial Planning Month
Financial Planning Month
German-American Heritage Month
​Global Diversity Awareness Month
Go-Sober-For-October
Go Sober For October — October
Halloween-Safety-Month
Halloween Safety Month
Head Start Awareness Month
Health Literacy Month
Healthy Lung Month
Hog Out Month
International School Libraries Month
International Walk To School Month
International Walk To School Month
Italian-American Heritage and Culture Month
Italian-American Heritage and Culture Month
​Italian-American Heritage Month
LGBTQ+ History Month
LGBTQ+ History Month
Liver Awareness Month
Long Term Care Planning Month
Menopause Month
Museums and Galleries Month
National Animal Safety and Protection Month
National Apple Month
National Apple Month
National Arts & Humanities Month
National Audiology Awareness Month
National Book Month
​National Bullying Prevention Month
National Caramel Month
National Chili Month
National Chiropractic Month
National Church Safety and Security Month
National Cookbook Month
National Cookie Month
National Cookie Month
National-Crime-Prevention-Month
National Crime Prevention Month
National Cybersecurity Awareness Month - October
National Depression Education and Awareness Month
National Dessert Month
National Disability Employment Awareness Month
​National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
National Ergonomics Month
National Indigenous Peoples Month
National Learning and Development Month
National LGBT History Month
National Medical Librarians Month
National Medical Librarians Month
National Non-GMO Month
National Orthodontic Health Month
National Pasta Month
National Pescatarian Month
National Pet Wellness Month
National Pickled Peppers Month
National Pizza Month
National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month
National Pretzel Month
National Protect Your Hearing Month
National Sausage Month
National Work and Family Month
Physical Therapy Month
Pitbull Awareness Month
Polish American Heritage Month
Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month
Rett Syndrome Awareness Month
Spina Bifida Awareness Month
SQUIRREL AWARENESS MONTH
The Big Draw
Ultrasound Awareness Month
Unblocktober
Vegetarian Month
World Animal Month
World Habitat Awareness Month

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