Forum Topic

Microplastic Severely Pollutes the River Thames

It was at one time all supposed to be from the microbeads used in the manufacture of new plastics but now the majority is apparently from broken down food packaging.How can we have allowed our river to be worse than the Danube and Rhine with crabs found with small particles of plastics in them and masses of wet wipes draped along the foreshore? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-53479635

Philippa Bond ● 2293d5 Comments

Saw a feature on the news last pm. Mentioned pollution affecting mitten crabs by being ingested causing full stomachs leading to poor reproduction rates and slower growth ratesAre these crabs the ones that caused the towpath to collapse near the Bulls Head SOTG by burrowing into the bank and also decimating the population of our native freshwater crabs?

Jeffrey Cope ● 2293d

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yp9rZBhrVsIllegal immigrants no passports no visas and a delicacy.Nice recipe here with ginger only you wouldn't want to eat them when you read what is in the river.What a shame that we spoil what we are so lucky to have.

Philippa Bond ● 2292d

and the Oceans - why?:https://resource.co/article/new-study-finds-ocean-plastic-could-triple-2040?

Philippa Bond ● 2283d

As an avid recycler of domestic waste and a critic of the awful guidance of what's actual wanted by various recycling bins...I'm heartened to see that Marks and Spencers...at a very few selected stores..have a special recycling bin for PLASTICS that customers had previously thought were not wanted by anyone.Not just plastic bags or coloured food trays..but plastic film which accompanies all sorts of food packaging. Odd bits of cling film, bubble wrap and more.Google it... M&S are having trial runs.Not at Chiswick sadly. But at Tolworth for example yes.

Jim Lawes ● 2283d

Thanks Jim. Agree with you re info.  We need clear info from our Councils because that is who is responsible for our home kerbside collection. LBH if you find the right website info page and click through links is clear.  LBE nothing now on presentation.  Lids still drive me nuts - and it appears that it is lids and crushed lids which are still causing problems.  Just looking at the grass in the park it is specled with discarded lids - which the mower will then shred. So it depends on how I'm feeling on the day (the polite explanation) with recycling.  Packaging needs id on it but many won't or just show the swoosh thingy that shows they have paid something to someone to dispose of it/provide a disposal facility.  Most people don't recognise it - or without checking their Council's collection think they should recycle it in that.  Then there is the recycling symbol which just shows that a few Councils recycle it, which gets updated to the one where many Councils recycle it when the facilities are available to do so.  Depending on market forces for everything can cause problems.  It gives manufacturers time to faff around and avoid the issue.  Producer responsibility desperately needed followed by more and more producer responsibility. Inspiration always needed for reuse uses before recycling and also when recycled. Love the things made out of childrens' ver bright wellies and also phone cases.  EfW is better than landfill but should remain very last option.Avoiding and refusing can save a lot of hassle but not always appropriate.  I don't want strawberries in a brown paper bag like I bought to take home for supper as a naive teenager at Berwick Street market in my lunch hour.  It's good that shops now use reusable crates etc and avoid the tremendous waste they had there.  Look forward to being able to use more take your own container shops.Plastics are particularly difficult as there are so many.  Only a few types are recycled into new plastic packaging for food as the quality has to be so high.  Take a look at the bottom of a fruit or veg punnet for interest to see if it says R-PET!  We have been recycling stretchy polythene at the bigger supermarkets like Sainsbury's and Morrisons together with the few plastic carriers that invade our household for many years.It is all the sorting of which we do very little in comparison to what happens later that costs.  Both amazing machinery and amazing people are involved.Googled M & S plastics and got there.  So they do have plans despite the lack of a Plan B!  There is some hope then.

Philippa Bond ● 2283d