Published Article

HeadlineHackney volunteers kayak along the River Lea to clear plastic

Short HeadlineVolunteers kayak to clear River Lea of plastic

Standfirst

Volunteers will meet at the Leaside Trust in Hackney. They will “paddle and pick” their way along the River Lea to clear it of plastic, whilst having some fun. Thames21 aims “to put healthy rivers at the heart of community life”.

The charity has partnered with the Marine Conservation Society, and hopes that a kayaking clean up will encourage local residents to engage with their environment in a different, and exciting, way. The volunteers will see first-hand the effects of littering on the river.

A huge amount of waste and plastic has recently been dumped into the River Lea. The waste is currently being ignored by river authorities and the government.

Just last month an oil spill wreaked havoc on the local wildlfe. The Environment Agency cleared an estimated 78,000 litres of oil contaminated water,  but the problem is ongoing. Thames21 and other local organisations are now petitioning the government, the Environment Agency and the Canal and River Trust to take more responsibility for the crisis.

Volunteers are the last line of defence against the plastic tide sweeping through the Greater London catchment, into the Thames and from there out to sea. 80% of ocean plastic comes from land and much of it enters the sea via our rivers.

Thames21 works with communities to shape and deliver sustainable environmental change for rivers, with the ultimate vision of putting healthy rivers at the heart of community life.