A BOLD idea to help protect the environment, conceived by a 16-year-old Bury schoolgirl, has been brought to life in an attempt to solve the UK’s fatberg crisis.

Unblocktober - led by Lanes Group - is the world’s first national campaign to reduce plastic pollution and fight fatbergs, and has been working alongside schools.

As part of these sessions, Unblocktober opened the floor to the youngsters at Woodhey School in Bury to find out about their thoughts on fatbergs and plastic pollution caused by man-made waste.

Emma Greenwood, at the time in year 10 and aged 15, suggested the idea of using cigarette-style packaging for ‘unflushable’ items such as wet wipes to visually demonstrate the damage they cause if they are flushed into the sewage network.

The team at Unblocktober thought it was such a good idea that they decided to make it a reality by designing a series of wet wipe packaging concepts based on Emma’s suggestion. They are now calling for industry regulators and the government to push manufacturers to be clearer about the damage their products may cause.

Naomi Wright, from Unblocktober, said: “We know that good habits are easier to adopt when they are instilled at a young age - that’s why we have been working with schools to teach youngsters about the effect that our actions can have on the planet.

“These young people are inheriting a man-made problem that has existed for decades. If the brightest minds can contribute unique and creative new ideas to solve these old challenges, then we can make significant progress.”

Emma, who is now an environmental activist and youth MP for Bury with over 2,000 followers on Twitter, said: “My inspiration for the wet wipe packaging idea was to try and connect people with the direct effects of their actions.

“It’s so easy to disconnect yourself from the consequences of your decisions because it’s ‘not your problem’ but, inevitably, it does come back to affect you. I hope the packaging will give people the evidence they need to switch to sustainable alternatives or to dispose of the wipes safely."

Mr Dave Savage, geography teacher at Woodhey School, said: “We at Woodhey are so proud of Emma. I always knew that Emma was destined for great things and it comes as no shock to know that her ideas for future sustainability are being taken seriously and developed. Emma inspired so many staff and students at Woodhey during her leadership of Eco Club, encouraging them to take care of the environment and change their ways.

“Emma was involved in a number of initiatives, both inside and outside of school, helping to educate others about plastic waste and encouraging them to recycle more, as well as many other things. Emma even developed the school garden, which has now been transformed from broken garden beds to an area where students and staff now grow their own vegetables. I know this is not the last we will hear of Emma helping to change the world for the better.”

Unblocktober challenges individuals and businesses to avoid putting fats, oils and grease (FOG), food, wet wipes and a range of other troublesome items down their drains for 31 consecutive days in October.