Balloons, Balls, Bottles, and Bric à Brac
Since my gallery of random surprising, or not so surprising, objects carried along Lambeth Reach by the Thames last year, here are a few more. Some colourful, some amusing, some annoying, and some thought-provoking. At the end, there are suggestions as to how to help tackle the ever-present litter problem along the river.
Balloons
Many parties take place along, or on the river, so that it’s hardly surprising that balloons are liable to end up there. However, pretty as they are compared to some of the litter floating by, they still present a hazard to birds and other wildlife with their fabric, strings, and ribbons. And though some balloons are now on the market as biodegradable, the most commonly used balloons can take anywhere from six months to several years to break down, in the meantime presenting a particular danger to seabirds ingesting them as food.
A *love* balloon? The message was illegible.
Balls
Balls of all kinds and colours end up in the river too. Some bouncing along energetically, others sagging deflated…
Bottles
Bottles and cans could so easily be recycled but either by carelessness or design they end up in the river.
Bric à Brac…
…A loose definition to describe some of the oddities I’ve seen floating by.
Endings
Some floating plants are naturally biodegradable, but others, such as natural Christmas trees, are more challenging and now that it’s possible to recycle them in many London boroughs, that’s what should happen.
Autumn leaves
Covid Carnations
Among the endings that made a powerful impression on me was the release, on March 9 this year, of thousands of red carnations into the River Thames representing the hundreds of thousands of lives lost to Covid.
Perhaps the most poignant “ending” of all was this single carnation swept back upstream by a tide a day after the March 9 Covid Day of Reflection, marking the fifth anniversary of the outbreak of Covid in the UK. After a firehose salute by London Fire Brigade vessel TANNER in front of the crowds lining Albert Embankment, thousands of red carnations were let fall into the river from Lambeth Bridge. Carried downstream by the ebbing tide, a few returned on later flood tides, as they were slowly absorbed into their watery environment.
Sources, further information, and how you can help:
Port of London Authority: Litter picking along the Thames and the PLA Driftwood Service
Port of London Authority: From 1-30 September 2025 Clean Thames Challenge
See Putney Tidy Towpath Group
Thames 21, see: Join a River Clean and River clean-ups
RSPCA ‘Balloon Releases threaten Wildlife’
Sussex Wildlife Trust: ‘Against the release of balloons.’