Press Releases

Mellon Employees Muck in to Help Clean Up River Thames

LONDON 8 June 2007 — Over 35 employees from Mellon Financial Corporation, the global financial services company, joined forces with environmental charity Thames21 this week to clear litter from the River Thames.

At low tide, the Mellon volunteers successfully cleared a fantastic one and a half tonnes of litter including tyres, crates, plastic bags and the end of a railing before the tide came in. This year's clean up took place close to Southwark Bridge during low tide.

This is the fifth year that Mellon employees have helped to keep the river bank clean, maintaining the Thames as the cleanest metropolitan estuary in Europe. Its poor reputation stems mainly from its murkiness, a result of its size, tidal flow and river activity.

James Lazarus from Mellon, comments: "This is the fifth year that Mellon has supported Thames21's work to clean and green the River Thames. It is part of our commitment to the local community where we work. Our international headquarters is located very close to the Thames and we have seen first-hand that keeping the foreshores free of litter brings huge benefits to everyone that lives, visits and works by this magnificent river."

Vic Richardson from Thames21 said: "The River Thames is an incredible river corridor and wildlife superhighway running through the heart of the capital and the practical support of businesses like Mellon bring us one step closer to creating a waterway web of which we can all be proud."

Thames21 formed eleven years ago in response to the lack of statutory duty on any organisation to clear litter from rivers and canals. It began working with communities and businesses to clean up the River Thames and now works on a range of projects across London's 400-mile network of rivers and canals.

Thanks to volunteers like those from Mellon, the tidal Thames is now one of the cleanest city rivers in Europe.

Mellon Financial Corporation is a global financial services company. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Mellon is one of the world's leading providers of financial services for institutions, corporations and high net worth individuals, providing asset management, wealth management, asset servicing, issuer services and treasury services. Mellon has approximately $5.8 trillion in assets under management, administration or custody, including $1.034 trillion under management. News and other information about Mellon is available at www.mellon.com.

Thames21 is an environmental charity working with communities to improve and maintain London's rivers and canals. Thames21 mobilise thousands of volunteers every year to clean up waterside grot-spots, remove graffiti and create new habitats for wildlife. Innovative community inclusion and education projects include Adopt-A-River and CanalKeeper Volunteers. Thames21's mission is to create clean, safe and sustainable waterside environments for all. Visit www.thames21.org.uk.