Cleaner Canal Science

Cleaner Canal Science brought together school children, local businesses and communities in Glasgow and Clydebank to put the problem of littering the 250-year-old Forth & Clyde Canal under the microscope.
This Zero Waste Scotland-funded project got everyone thinking afresh about littering, its impact on wildlife and our personal responsibility to keep canals clean. 

Cleaner Canal Science aimed to evolve the standard litter pick into a scientifically robust investigation looking at the root sources of litter pollution, using well established biodiversity sampling methodologies and statistical analyses. Once we better understand a problem, we are better equipped to tackle it.

 

Cartoon image of a barge with bunting and anchors.

Funded by:

Scottish Waterways Trust

Scottish Canals

Zero Waste Scotland

Research and Results

The Methods

Taking inspiration from techniques used by biologists to study wildlife, the Glasgow Science Festival team pioneered scientific methodology as a way of observing, classifying and analysing litter.

Citizen scientists of all ages studied litter “populations” by measuring sample areas and recording the number and type of “species” found – be it Irn Bru can, plastic bag or glass bottle. Multiple samples were taken along the canal in Maryhill, Firhill and Clydebank, providing valuable data on the main causes of litter.

Staff from Tesco in Maryhill and Asda and McDonalds in Clydebank joined Cleaner Canal Science sessions and 40 community volunteers took part in a litter-pick at Lambhill Stables. A further 140 people of all ages teamed up with ten researchers from the University of Glasgow at our open day at Lambhill Stables.

Armed with buckets, bin bags, measuring tapes and scales, children from St Charles Primary School and St Mary’s Primary School in Maryhill and Kilbowie Primary School in Clydebank were natural scientists in the field.  Back in the classroom, children practised their analytical skills by drawing graphs and posters to show off their results. 

The Results

There were a total of 40 transects sampled throughout the duration of the project; 21 from the schools, 8 from businesses and 11 from the Lambhill community groups.

What was collected?

Across all 40 transects, a total of 620 items were collected.
- 19.4% were aluminium cans
- 10.6% were plastic-other
- 8.5% plastic fizzy drink bottles
- 8.2% plastic snacks/ food packaging
- 7.9% were glass bottles

These 5 species accounted for nearly 55% of all items collected out of a list of 111 species.

Cartoon image of a man holding a red bag with a recycle symbol on it holding a grabby litter picking stick surrounded by coffee cups, banana peels and takeaway packaging.

Banner image promoting Cleaner Canal Science. Text reads: A new community project using hands-on science to tackle the problem of litter. Working together with local schools, communities and businesses to make the environment a better place for everyone. Images on the banner include a cartoon canal with boats and wildlife, people litter picking and glasgow sights.

Local Business Staff

Photograph showing a group of ASDA and McDonalds employees holding litter pickers and bin bags.

Local Schools

Photograph showing a group of school children with their teachers. They are all wearing hi-vis vests and holding litter pickers or bin bags.

The Floating Laboratory

After the fieldwork was complete, it was all aboard the Forth & Clyde Canal Society’s ‘Voyager’ boat for more fun experiments with the science festival team.

We tuned in to the sounds of water-loving wildlife through a hydrophone, watched plankton loom large under a microscope and identified water birds as we cruised along the canal on our floating lab. Observing the diverse range of habitats and wildlife on the canal up close helped everyone better understand the harmful effect of careless littering on this special ecosystem. 

Cartoon image of a barge with bunting and anchors.

Forth and Clyde Canal Society

Testing Water Samples

Photograph of a boy holding a pipette and dropping some water sample onto an empty glass microscope slide. He is sitting in front of a microscope.

What's in the water?

Photograph of two girls holding up their worksheets to show off the drawings they have done.

Lambhill Community Day

On Saturday 21st March 2015 Cleaner Canal Science docked at Lambhill Stables for a day of crafts, cakes and a litter pick.

The Floating Lab was moored on the canal with marine biologists on board to discuss life in the canal and how we can use science to tackle the problem of litter. Activities on board included making litterbugs, acoustic hydrophones under the water and microscopy.

Cartoon image of three people collecting various bits of litter such as coffee cups, takeaway packaging and bottles.

Lambhill Stables

Forth and Clyde Canal Society

Litterbugs!

     Photograph of a wasp made out of litter collected from the canal.

Preparing the Transect

     Photograph of a man holding one end of the measuring tape to set up the transect.

Cleaner Canal Science at Science Sunday

Science Sunday was one of the main family day events during GSF 2015 on Sunday 14th June 2015 showcasing University of Glasgow research. 

Cleaner Canal Science presented an exhibition featuring information about the project and local artist Barry Neeson's Litterbug Sculpture. 

Cartoon image of a man in a yellow hard hat putting litter into a bin.

University of Glasgow

Litterbug Sculpture

Create your own Litterbug

Photograph of a member of the GSF team holding a litterbug creation.