Always on
This project successfully funded on 10th July 2025, you can still support them with a donation.
Wasteshark River Cleanup Project
Leeds, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom
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Aim
Leeds Wasteshark is continuing to raise funds to allow it to keep cleaning Leeds’ rivers and canals.
The Leeds WasteShark needs your help to maintain its mission of cleaning up Leeds’s rivers and canals.
After reaching our funding target in 2025, WasteShark has been operating for 12 months and has removed over 7000 litres of plastics and other debris that would otherwise be clogging up our vital waterways, damaging the environment and harming wildlife.
The project is a proven success and hopes to continue to raise funds which will allow it keep delivering environmental benefits in the city.
Aquatic litter in inland freshwater systems exacerbates the climate emergency by emitting greenhouse gases during decomposition, damaging vital carbon sinks and increasing flood risks.
The litter also directly threatens biodiversity by causing injury, poisoning, habitat destruction, and the introduction of invasive species. Protecting freshwater biodiversity requires actively managing litter through prevention, cleanup and education and the Waste Shark creates opportunities for addressing all of these aspects.
Before After
So, what will your donation support?
- Continued hire of the WasteShark device
- Cover the costs of the two-man team it takes to operate the WasteShark
- Storage and maintenance
- Ongoing operations including cleaning and maintenance of the main workboat
- Disposal and recycling of rubbish collected
- Ongoing reporting of the WasteShark's progress
The WasteShark project is managed and administered on a voluntary basis by a local company as part of its ESG commitment, so all funds raised are put directly towards project costs.
“Unfortunately, millions of pieces of litter end up in our waterways. We've got birds that live along here, otters, and water voles.
"I've seen a moorhen trying to make a nest out of a trolley and crisp packets, so it's really good to see the waste removed."
Becca Dent, the Canal and Rivers Trust.
Aviva Employee Giving has provided £9,880 of match funding
BA Better World Community Fund – Planet has provided £7,726 of match funding
Aviva Community Fund has provided £1,995 of match funding
BA Better World Community Fund Colleague Giving has provided £1,440 of match funding
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made