Want to make a difference? Here are some easy ways:

  • Participate in Barnes Tidy Towpath Group's local efforts via this website
  • Use a milkman to switch from plastic milk bottles to glass: try findmeamilkman.net
  • Only flush Paper, Pee and Poo down the loo! Otherwise, you are adding to the microplastics problem in our waterways
  • Visit Recycle Now for info on whether an item can be recycled in our area, an explanation of recycling symbols, interesting tips on recycling & recycling contamination. Generally speaking, it is safer to take recycling home to avoid the risk of recycling contamination often found in public recycling bins.
  • Try some simple household substitutions:
    • take your own reuseable travel mug to the coffee shop
    • use refillable water bottles -now dishwasher safe
    • purchase loose fruit & vegetables, not pre-packed, and ask your grocer to switch to paper bags instead of offering film
    • buy items packaged in cardboard, not plastic (e.g., switch to powder laundry detergents)
    • all things being equal, purchase the item with less packaging
    • use cardboard cotton bud sticks
    • try washable flannels instead of wet wipes
    • avoid products containing microbeads (tiny balls of plastic found in facial wash, toothpaste, body scrub)
    • be careful not to let disposable contact lenses go down the drain as they can harbour bacteria harmful to marine life
    • use a "bag for life" and always have one in your purse, pocket, car...
    • replace plastic straws & plastic cutlery with metal ones
    • use an empty, tin mints package as a discrete and portable ashtray to hold cigarette butts when out and about (Smints tins can be found online; be careful not to get the plastic containers!)
    • think about the plastics you purchase regularly and challenge yourself to eliminate one item completely from your shopping
  • Support Thames21
  • Read Thames21's newly released report  Plastic Pollution in the Tidal Thames
  • Follow Sky's Ocean Rescue campaign and #passonplastic
  • Help facilitate use of refillable bottles with the return of water fountains: #OneLess

Thames21 Survey Results:

Between the start of 2015 and December 2017, Thames21 volunteers conducted 102 detailed litter surveys to uncover the type of litter present in the Thames.  The survey method was developed in partnership with Marine Conservation Society to help address the lack of evidence on how much litter is entering the river, how it is getting there, and what impact it might be having. Key findings are:

  • The top 10 items (excluding unidentified objects) found by volunteers on the Thames foreshore accounted for 80% of all the litter counted, providing a clear list of items to target:
    • Cotton bud sticks: A ban on plastic cotton bud sticks would complement the voluntary action already undertaken by some retailers.
    • Bottles and their tops: A Deposit Return Scheme will be introduced later this year, the Government announced in March, subject to consultation.  These schemes have very effectively tackled this litter problem in many countries.  Still mineral water bottles account for 45% of this category, by far the single biggest bottle type. As such, bringing more water fountains into operation would facilitate greater use of refillable water bottles as seen at the  2018 Wimbledon Tennis Championships.
    • Plastic glasses/cups from pubs: These should be replaced with reusable, hard plastic glasses as has been done at Glastonbury.
    • Wet wipes are not necessarily the most common item on the foreshore but they collected in concentration in certain of the areas surveyed. Wet wipes are often flushed down toilets and later found in high numbers on the foreshore, presenting a massive environmental problem.. Urgent action is needed to improve the packaging to detail proper disposal instructions (No wipes should be called flushable!) and to educate the public about its plastic content. The Government has pledged a ban on the continued manufacture of this product using plastic.
  • Top 10 items found:
    • Wet wipes (18%)
    • Food wrappers (17%)
    • Cotton bud sticks (13%)
    • Drinks bottles and tops (10%)
    • Unidentified plastic >25mm (10%): excluded microplastics and unidentified polystyrene as too small/numerous to count
    • Take-away containers (7%)
    • Straws (2%)
    • Building insulation pieces (2%)
    • Cigarette butts (1%)
    • Cigarette packaging (1%)