Thames21 welcomes London Assembly’s environment committee investigation into bottled water’s impact on environment
Tomorrow (Wednesday 22 February), the London Assembly’s environment committee meets to begin its investigation into the environmental impact of bottled water in the capital.
The committee’s debate is entitled ‘Is it time for a plastic bottle tax?’ It quotes Thames21’s Thames River Watch research that single-use plastic drinks bottles are one of the main forms of litter in the Thames and asks ‘how can people be encouraged to recycle more of their plastic single-use water bottles?’
The meeting will take place from 10am in the Chamber at City Hall (The Queen’s Walk, London SE1) and will quote Thames21 shoreline litter surveys from 2016 and 2017.
Debbie Leach, Chief Executive of Thames21, said: “We’re pleased that the Mayor’s Environment Committee is using Thames River Watch citizen science research, carried out by ordinary Londoners, to help identify solutions.
“Last year, we found 2,500 single use plastic water bottles in just one day on the Thames.
“Thames21, along with others, is calling for a bottle deposit scheme to reduce the huge amount of plastic entering the Thames and London’s other rivers. We believe this would be an effective way to reduce the number of single use plastic bottles getting into the environment.
“Meanwhile, we would love the Mayor of London to get behind the OneLess campaign to ban single use plastic water bottles in the capital. If Delhi can ban single-use disposable plastic, then why not London?”
Notes for editors
About Thames21
Thames21 is an environmental charity putting healthy rivers back at the heart of community life. Through environmental improvements, education, research and advocacy efforts, Thames21 is inspiring and influencing effective and lasting change by working hand-in-hand with communities to deliver tangible and measurable improvements for urban rivers.
www.thames21.org.uk | Registered Charity No. 1103997
Media Contact
Ian Lamont
Communications Manager at Thames21
07739 627 667
020 7248 7171