A citizen river cleanup is back after a two-year hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic, and organizers say volunteers are needed more than ever.
The face masks and gloves read across the city during the pandemic have also made their way into the Thames River.
“Garbage, plastic, masks and gloves have washed into our waterways and these things are harmful to fish, wildlife and water quality,” Todd Sleeper, co-ordinator of the Thames River Clean Up, said in a statement.
It’s been two years since the usually annual effort was put on hold because of COVID-19. This year’s event will be held on April 23, a day after Earth Day.
The river cleanup stretches across Southwestern Ontario to tackle various sections of the Thames and its tributaries, including 33 teams in London plus others in surrounding communities such as Aylmer, Dorchester, Ingersoll and Komoka.
Sleeper has organized the Thames River Clean Up since 2000, when the Thames was declared a Canadian heritage river.
To volunteer, connect with a team leader in your area through www.thamesrivercleanup.ca