Post Boat Race clean-up at Putney

Thames21 is partnering with London Boat Race sponsor BNY Mellon, Newton Investment Management and the Boat Race Company to try to reduce the impact of plastic litter in the Putney area of the Thames after The Boat Race. To do this, Thames21 will run transect surveys along the foreshore in Putney on Sunday 25 March, the morning after the London Boat Race, as part of its flagship citizen science programme Thames River Watch.

Trained volunteers will count and sort any plastic litter they find, and then remove it. Thames21 will also run a clean-up of the foreshore between Putney Embankment and Hammersmith Bridge at the same time.

Thames River Watch is the only programme collecting and analysing long-term data on plastic impact on the river.

Separately, Thames River Watch will also monitor for any increase in plastic on key litter hotspots along the Thames following the Boat Race. Thames River Watch carries out dozens of litter surveys a year to continually monitor litter.

Thames21 looks forward to working with The Boat Race company and other campaign groups to look at incentives and barriers for pubs and retail outlets to reduce their plastic use around The Boat Race and in general.