In just one hour of cleaning, volunteers collected 132 kilograms of garbage from the Chao Phraya River this weekend as part of the Clean Up Bangkok River project. When they finished, they had amassed a lot of plastic: 2,000 bags, 700 bottles and 600 cups.
They collected waste from the river by boat and along its banks with nets wearing rubber gloves. There were many groups from the various city embassies as well as unaffiliated volunteers.
The cleanup covered the main metropolitan area, 6 kilometers from Yodpiman Flower Market to Rama III Bridge, reported Bangkok Post.
Organizers included the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), the Eco-Capitals Forum, Mahidol University International College (MUIC), Bangkok University International (BUI), and Bangkok River Partners (BRP), a group of interested parties in the area, including hotel owners, shop owners and transportation companies.
While some groups cleaned the river from boat and by foot, other groups were dispatched to clean the nearby streets that lead to the river.
The garbage was separated into seven categories so the volunteers and organizers could assess what trash is most prevalent and how to set up systems to keep people from tossing these items into the river.
It was noted by people attending the cleanup that all garbage tossed into canals across the city will eventually end up in the river, making it incredibly dirty.
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