Join Our Webinar: Don’t Block Our Future - What’s Stopping Us From Doing the Right Thing?

Friday 10th October, 2025

Unblocktober is back for its seventh year in 2025 - and we’re inviting you to take part in our free live webinar: Don’t Block Our Future - What’s Stopping Us From Doing the Right Thing?

Despite most people caring deeply about pollution, our latest research shows that many people are still pouring cooking oil and other waste down the sink - not because they don’t understand the risks, but because they’re unsure what else to do. Our drains and sewers are under growing pressure from fatbergs, blockages and pollution - but small, simple changes can make a huge difference when we all take action.

This session will dig into the gap between awareness and action, exploring why good intentions don’t always lead to better habits and how we can break down the barriers that get in the way. Whether you’re a homeowner, teacher, business or community group, you’ll leave with practical tools and real insight into how to protect our drains, sewers and seas.

About the event

• Date: Thursday, October 23rd, 2025
• Time: 10:00 to 11:00 GMT
• Format: 60-minute live webinar with presentations, expert insights and Q&A.
• Audience: Open to everyone, including households, schools, community groups and businesses.
• Cost: Free to join - registration required.

What the webinar will cover

• The awareness-action gap
• New nationwide survey results reveal the challenges behind behaviour change:
  • 92% of people are concerned about pollution, but 41% still pour oil down sinks.
  • Many know wet wipes cause blockages but continue flushing them.
  • “Out of sight, out of mind” remains a key barrier for over a third of people.
• What’s stopping better habits
  We’ll discuss the biggest blockers identified by research - confusion about disposal rules, lack of easy recycling options and the perception that changing habits is inconvenient.
• The real cost of inaction
  Learn how these daily choices lead to fatbergs, damaged sewers, river pollution and household expense - including 75,000 blockages cleared annually and £18m spent dealing with wet wipes alone.
• Solutions and hope
  Practical, easy actions for homes, workplaces, and schools - plus how to support the push for better recycling infrastructure and long-term change.

Who you’ll hear from

This webinar will be hosted by the team at Lanes Group, the organisers behind Unblocktober. For seven years, Lanes has led the UK’s largest public engagement campaign on drain and sewer health, working to turn awareness into meaningful action.
During the session, you’ll hear directly from members of the Unblocktober campaign team, who will share the latest research into the barriers stopping people from acting on what they know about pollution and blockages. They’ll also talk about how small, practical changes - alongside better systems and support - can make a real difference.

Confirmed speakers include:

• Jacob Larkin, Unblocktober Campaign Coordinator at Lanes Group
• Haylie Orton, Head of Bids & Marketing at Lanes Group
• Nicola Martin, Head of ESG at Lanes Group

Why get involved?

• Understand why good awareness doesn’t always mean good habits - and how to change that.
• Learn small, practical steps you can take at home or in your workplace right now.
• Discover how to support bigger, systemic solutions like nationwide oil recycling.
• Be part of the movement to protect drains, sewers and seas for future generations.

Register now

Places for the webinar are free but limited. Sign up today to secure your spot and receive updates as we finalise the full speaker lineup and event details.