London's West Wipe Island has emerged from a massive pile of wet wipes, situated along a 250-metre stretch of the Thames. This formation poses ecological threats, having altered the river's course and harmed local wildlife. The Port of London Authority, in collaboration with Thames Water, is undertaking an unprecedented excavation operation, anticipating completion in about a month. Prior cleanup efforts were limited to manual removal by volunteers from Thames21, who have monitored the site since 2017 and influenced legislative proposals concerning wet wipes containing plastic.
An enormous pile of wet wipes has formed an island along a 250-metre stretch of the tidal river near Hammersmith Bridge, threatening wildlife and ecology.
The Port of London Authority and Thames Water are leading a first-of-its-kind operation to excavate an estimated 180 tonnes of congealed waste from the Thames.
The island, about the size of two tennis courts, has changed the course of the river and potentially harmed aquatic wildlife.
Thames21's monitoring and research since 2017 has raised awareness of the environmental impact of wet wipes, influencing government policy to ban plastic-containing wipes.
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