A metre-high mass of congealed wet wipes on the banks of the Thames weighing 180 tonnes is being removed after growing to the size of two tennis courts.
The mound is located on the bank near Barnes, in the section of the Thames that runs through Hammersmith.
The huge blockage has been worsening by the day, with the situation becoming so bad that it spurred MPs to advise people against flushing the wipes down the toilet.
The Port of London Authority (PLA) has said it will get rid of around 180 tonnes of congealed wet wipes – with removal work already started.
Paul's School in Barnes is allowing access to its grounds so an eight-tonne excavator can remove the "island", which reaches up to 1m (3ft) high in parts.
Wet wipes and other pollutants would thrown into skips and disposed of responsibly, the PLA said.
Sonar and laser scans of the riverbed revealed the vast sprawl had grown to the size of two tennis courts.
Grace Rawnsley from the PLA said: "For too long, 'Wet Wipe Island' in Hammersmith has been a source of environmental harm and an embarrassment to the capital.
"This is the first time anyone has sought to execute a mass, mechanical removal of wet wipes in this way."We will continue to bring innovation and investment to help the world's greatest river thrive."
Chris Coode, the CEO at Thames21, said: "Plastic wet wipes have no place in our rivers or natural environment, so it's terrific news that action is being taken to remove 'Wet Wipe Island' in the Thames.
"This vital move is a crucial step towards protecting the health of the River Thames and its wildlife, as it will reduce the introduction of microplastics into the environment from this site.
"Thames21 has been pushing for a ban on plastics in wet wipes. However, we would like to see more systemic change to tackle the issue of plastics entering the environment via wet wipes and other sanitary waste."The clean up project is expected to take up to a month to complete."
