Plastic pollution has become a serious problem in the River Thames.
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The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) and charity Thames21 have called for “deposit return schemes”, following a study on plastic in Thames.
They carried out a study of the River Thames between the end of 2017 and the summer of 2018.
During their research they found food packaging, metal cans and plastic bottles.
Under the deposit scheme, people would pay an increased deposit when buying drinks bottles and cans.
If they returned the container, they would get the money back.
City News spoke to the CEO of Thames21, Debbie Leach. She says that “9 out of every 10 flounder in the Thames have been found to contain plastic in their stomachs”.
She also said that Thames21 hope to “draw Londonder’s attention to the risk littering poses to the Capital’s river life”.
The Battle Against Single Use Plastic
78% of the items that volunteers picked up were single-use. And on average they found 219 pieces of rubbish for every 100m surveyed.
The campaign against single-use plastic has been on the rise. Campaigns to go plastic-free have become more popular.
There has also been a rise in the number of cup-return schemes, and even plastic-free supermarkets as featured on City News.
And some people are even taking matters into their own hands. Lindsey Cole is an ‘urban mermaid’.
Since the 1st November 2018, she has been on a mission to raise awareness about plastic pollution.
Dressed in a mermaid tail, she is swimming 120 miles from the source of the River Thames to Teddington Lock. Her support boat is manned by artist Barbara de Moubray, which pulls a sculpture of a mermaid, made from plastic bottles.
You can keep up with Lindsey’s challenge on her website.
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HeadlineActivists call for end to plastic pollution in River Thames
Short HeadlineCalls to tackle River Thames plastic pollution
StandfirstStudy found items like wet wipes and other rubbish in Thames
The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) and charity Thames21 have called for “deposit return schemes”, following a study on plastic in Thames.
They carried out a study of the River Thames between the end of 2017 and the summer of 2018.
During their research they found food packaging, metal cans and plastic bottles.
Under the deposit scheme, people would pay an increased deposit when buying drinks bottles and cans.
If they returned the container, they would get the money back.
City News spoke to the CEO of Thames21, Debbie Leach. She says that “9 out of every 10 flounder in the Thames have been found to contain plastic in their stomachs”.
She also said that Thames21 hope to “draw Londonder’s attention to the risk littering poses to the Capital’s river life”.
The Battle Against Single Use Plastic
78% of the items that volunteers picked up were single-use. And on average they found 219 pieces of rubbish for every 100m surveyed.
The campaign against single-use plastic has been on the rise. Campaigns to go plastic-free have become more popular.
There has also been a rise in the number of cup-return schemes, and even plastic-free supermarkets as featured on City News.
And some people are even taking matters into their own hands. Lindsey Cole is an ‘urban mermaid’.
Since the 1st November 2018, she has been on a mission to raise awareness about plastic pollution.
Dressed in a mermaid tail, she is swimming 120 miles from the source of the River Thames to Teddington Lock. Her support boat is manned by artist Barbara de Moubray, which pulls a sculpture of a mermaid, made from plastic bottles.
You can keep up with Lindsey’s challenge on her website.
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