Five Million Wet Wipes Removed from Thames Foreshore
Clean up operation also found a car engine belt and a set of dentures
Excavators on the river bank finish the clearance of 'Wet Wipe Island'. Picture: PLA
September 11, 2025
A large-scale environmental clean-up has removed approximately five million wet wipes from the River Thames near Hammersmith Bridge. The operation, led by the Port of London Authority (PLA) in collaboration with Thames Water and environmental charity Thames21, extracted 114 tonnes of waste from a 250-metre stretch of foreshore known informally as “Wet Wipe Island.”
The site, which had formed over several years due to the accumulation of flushed wet wipes and other debris, had altered the river’s course and raised concerns about ecological damage. The clean-up marks the UK’s first mass removal of wet wipes from a riverbed and included other items such as towels, clothing, a car engine belt, and a set of dentures.
To minimise environmental disruption, engineers developed a “rake and shake” method using two eight-tonne excavators to separate waste from natural sediment. In total, nearly 200 cubic metres of material were removed and disposed of responsibly.
The initiative coincides with the Government’s draft legislation to ban wet wipes containing plastic. Thames21, which has monitored the site since 2017, contributed data and volunteer support that helped inform the clean-up and influence policy discussions around plastic waste.
Representatives from the PLA, Thames Water, and Thames21 have emphasised the need for behavioural change, improved infrastructure, and industry reform to prevent similar build-ups in future. Thames Water estimates that it removes 3.8 billion wet wipes from its network annually, with blockages contributing significantly to pollution.
The clean-up was supported by St Paul’s School in Barnes, which provided access for machinery, and has received backing from local and national figures including MP Fleur Anderson and Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy Mete Coban. The project forms part of the PLA’s Clean Thames Manifesto, which aims to achieve a pollution-free tidal Thames with a healthy ecosystem by 2050.
114 tonnes of waste were extracted from the foreshore. Picture: PLA
Thames Water has also announced a £1.8 billion investment in river health across London, alongside its £4.6 billion Thames Tideway Tunnel, which is expected to reduce sewage discharges into the Thames by 95%.
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