Thames worst major river in Europe for microplastics as 94,000 particles flow down it every second

The Thames is the worst major river in Europe for microplastics, scientists have said after they found 94,000 pieces of plastic flowed down it every second. While the river has been cleaned of many pollutants including trace metals in recent decades, with many lost species of fish returning, the research found that plastic pollution is a growing problem. Researchers at the Royal Holloway, University of London, found that the Thames had a higher density of microplastics than other major European rivers, including the Rhine in Germany and the Danube in Romania. The most commonly found plastic pieces had come from food and drink wrappers, researchers said, highlighting the problem of litter in the capital city. They have called for harsher regulations on the labeling and disposal of these items. The research, published in the Science of the Total Environment and Environmental Pollution, said an examination of 135 crabs in river resulted in 874 pieces of plastic being removed from their bodies. Discarded wet wipes also formed 'reefs' near the shoreline, and clams in the area contained synthetic polymers, some of which may have originated from the wet wipes and other pollutants found on the site such as sanitary items.