A floating litter pick is set to clean up the waters around the iconic Falkirk Wheel this weekend, led by a couple who are harnessing paddle power to preserve Scotland’s waterways.
Neil Smith and Charlotte Megret are journeying through Scotland on their paddle boards – clearing rubbish from rivers, canals and lochs as they go.
And on Saturday, the ‘Rubbish Paddlers’ as they call themselves, will be at the Falkirk Wheel, where they hope locals will join them.
So far, their travels have already netted countless bagfuls of rubbish – fishing out everything from traffic cones and bikes to a skateboard and even beer kegs.
In fact, they have literally found everything including the kitchen sink after pulling one out of the River Earn.
The sheer amount of trash has shocked them, Neil admits.
“We’ve definitely got a cultural problem with litter in this country,” he said.
But they have also been heartened by the friendliness and kindness they’ve encountered along the way from lots of like-minded people.
“Litter can actually bring people together – people who want to try to improve the environment a bit,” said Neil.
“The kindness and generosity from people we’ve met has been amazing.”
The couple from Ayrshire, who both work in outdoor education, decided to devote this year’s summer holiday to the task after taking up the pastime during lockdown.
As keen canoeists and kayakers, when they tried paddle boarding they were hooked straight away.
“We just started picking up rubbish and we found they were actually a really steady platform for collecting stuff,” said Neil.
“The waterways get a little bit forgotten about because they are harder to access but the paddle boards are quite versatile, so you can get up close.
“It’s turned into a big adventure – in a sense, the rubbish is an adventure – you really don’t know what you’re going to find!”
The inflatable boards are lightweight and portable, which means Charlotte and Neil are able to use trains and buses – and the occasional taxi – to move between different sections of water.
But the boards are also strong, which has been a must.
“It takes about 150 kg which is quite a weight – which is good because we’ve found really random things like the beer kegs,” said Neil.
The worst waterway they’ve encountered is the River Irvine where they found “hundreds of shopping trolleys”
“It was in a terrible state,” said Neil.
Now in central Scotland, they’ve found the canals are a different type of environment.
“We’re going at a much slower pace and finding mostly what you’d expect – mostly cans and plastic drinks bottles with the occasional bike frame and a shopping trolley,” said Neil.
They know they’re not going to clear everything with just two paddle boards, so they hope their journey will raise awareness in others.
And when Falkirk Council heard what they were doing, they invited them to join a community litter pick day.
Councillor Paul Garner, spokesperson for the environment said: “This is a fantastic undertaking being carried out by Neil and Charlotte.
“Not only are they paddling along some of Scotland’s most attractive waterways, they are helping keep it tidy – what an inspiration. I would encourage everyone to lend a hand and join in.”
Anyone interested in taking part should meet outside the Falkirk Wheel visitor centre at 10am on Saturday.
To help them plan for numbers, you can email wasteservices@falkirk.gov.uk
