Woman challenges the Canal and River Trust over litter

Meet the 24-year-old woman who has taken looking after her local canal path into her own hands.

Elena Horcajo decided to start her litter-picking journey after a mental health walk along the canal had left her more stressed than calm due to the amount of litter.

Now, she’s become a one-woman clean-up crew, sharing her efforts on social media and calling out the Canal and River Trust for what she sees as its failure to properly maintain the area.

In response, the Canal and River Trust said: “Elena might feel alone in tackling London’s litter waste, however she is one of hundreds of volunteers who help our charity keep London’s canals alive, picking up other people’s rubbish and carrying out routine maintenance.

“We’re delighted when more people take an interest in looking after their local canal.”

However, the trust said it was “more effective” to collect bagged waste “when it’s part of the regular organised volunteer events that our charity runs”.

“These activities are scheduled alongside weekly clean-ups by our operatives and contractors, which ensures collected waste is removed and recycled or disposed of appropriately,” a spokesperson said.

The trust also urged visitors to London’s canals to take their litter home with them, adding that the capital’s canals are a “wildlife corridor and offer a slice of countryside in some of our most pressured urban environments”.

Video by Fosiya Ismail