River Rescue Kits Empower UK Communities to Tackle Sewage Pollution

The newly launched River Rescue Kit provides expert guidance for people in the United Kingdom to take action to help protect their local waterways.

The online resource, launched by UK-based environmental campaign organization River Action, can help empower communities to take steps to stop the growing river pollution crisis, a press release from University of Manchester said.

“The state of our rivers is a national scandal, and Greater Manchester is no exception. We need people on the ground to push for change – the River Rescue Kit provides the tools they need to do that effectively,” said Jamie Woodward, a physical geography professor at University of Manchester, in the press release.

In a video, Woodward highlighted the alarming amount of sewage contaminating the Manchester region’s rivers, describing them as frequently being “little better than open sewers.”

The video highlights the issue’s urgency, as well as the crucial part local communities can play in affecting change.

Woodward described how the toxic pollutants harm wildlife, degrade ecosystems and pose public health risks.