Clogging up the Thames

The bend of the Isle of Dogs slows the water and so much of the floating garbage is dumped on our doorstep.

Which is why groups of volunteers were dispatched to the banks near Saunders Ness Road on Tuesday and North Woolwich on Wednesday to tackle the eyesores.

The spring tide allowed waterways charity Thames21 to organise more than 100 volunteers, including staff from Waitrose Canary Wharf.

Thames21's chief executive Debbie Leach said: "As we know, plastic doesn't degrade well and it's a real danger for the wildlife and the general environment.

"The bags come from all parts of the capital - the basin and the tributaries and a lot blow in from London's streets."

The charity estimates that over the past 10 years more than 2,500 volunteers have removed approximately 250,000 plastic bags.

On Tuesday morning staff from Asda, Tescos and Waitrose joined the effort, also removing a trolley from the site.

Debbie said: "We're starting to win the battle because we've so many volunteers looking to help. It was great to have the supermarket staff coming along.

"The supermarkets are important and it's key to work together with them in educating the shoppers. We have to inform the shoppers that taking a 'bag for life' to the shops has such a big impact.

"It's starting to make a difference but some of these bags have been here for years.

"I unearthed a bag from 1977 commemorating the Silver Jubilee which was just a little frayed around the edges."

There has been noticeable improvements in the river's quality in recent years, with wildlife gradually returning, but Debbie said there would be no let-up in the effort.

"The battle against litter is constant," she said. "It will take a combined effort to deal with that. There's also the sewage. But there's a lot of work being done of different fronts and hopefully the outlook is good."

The Environment Agency carries out regular surveys on the river and has recorded wildlife recoveries in recent years.

The reports are backed up by experts who work on the river.

Dr Matthew Gollock, the tidal Thames conservation project manager, said: "In the 1960s the Thames was considered biologically dead but since then there has been a recolonisation of species.

"In November 2008 there was 125 fish species in the Thames so generally the situation is improving."