A study conducted by Royal Holloway, University of London, has discovered a vast extent of plastic, swallowed by fish, from sampling aquatic life in the River Thames. The River Thames flows through southern England and it is particularly noted as a London landmark. The Thames is the second longest river in the U.K. — 346 kilometers (215 miles) in length. The Thames is rich in different types of fish and the presence of plastic causes loss of of life and affects the ecological food chain.
The extent of the problem has led the Port of London Authority (PLA), the body responsible for trade and travel, along much of the river, to launch a campaign to raise awareness about the problem of plastic litter and to try and stem the levels deposited by people and industry into the water. The campaign is called “Do The Right Thing.”
Commenting on the problem, Tanya Ferry for the PLA, explained to the BBC that it is easy for plastic waste to get into the river: “his is not just a problem along the river; it’s affected by litter from across London. So you might discard plastic near Buckingham Palace or Selfridges but if it gets into the drains, those drains could potentially discharge into the Thames and carry those plastic pieces with them.”
In addition to the PLA, a volunteer group called Thames21 regular walk the banks to collect discarded plastic debris. The consensus is that, over recent years, the level of discarded plastic has been rising.
Although the levels of plastic are a problem, the river itself has been cleaner of late. This has led to an influx of marine mammals, with seals, porpoises, dolphins, and whales being sighted throughout the stretch of water.
