Image description: Hands wearing blue plastic gloves dipping a pipette into a body of water.
Volunteers working with environmental charity Earthwatch Europe have detected metal contamination at potentially harmful levels across every waterway site tested in Corby, decades after the toxic waste scandal that caused birth defects when the town’s steelworks were dismantled in the 1980s.
The study saw 35 trained “citizen scientists” test 59 freshwater sites across the Northamptonshire town. Laboratory analysis screened for 33 elements including 29 metals and metalloids. Results showed every location contained at least one metal or metalloid above its predicted no effect concentration (PNEC) for freshwater habitats – the threshold below which adverse effects on aquatic ecosystems are not expected.
Risk to aquatic life, further investigation needed
Dr Sasha Woods, director of science and impact at Earthwatch Europe, said: “By working with the community in Corby, we’ve been able to gather a detailed snapshot of freshwater metal pollution across the town. The findings indicate that some metals are present at levels that could pose a risk to aquatic life, particularly in areas close to known historic waste sites.”
The charity emphasised the report does not assess risks to human health and complements existing knowledge about metals pollution in Corby. Further monitoring and repeat testing under varying weather conditions are needed to build a clearer picture of contamination patterns.
Legacy of industrial contamination
The findings stem from Corby’s toxic legacy: children were born with birth defects believed caused when the town’s steelworks were dismantled in the 1980s, with contaminated materials improperly handled. In 2011, Corby Borough Council reached a private settlement with affected families, acknowledging the link between environmental contamination and birth defects.
The current study, involving families affected by the original scandal, represents community-led efforts to understand the ongoing environmental impact. North Northamptonshire Council acknowledged “the understandable strength of feeling amongst the residents of Corby in relation to the historic and emotive issue of contaminated land.”
Regulatory response and next steps
The Environment Agency confirmed it will study the report to “support and advise North Northamptonshire Council and Earthwatch Europe on their next steps.” An EA spokesperson welcomed the initiative: “Citizen science is a valuable contribution to the evidence base on water and helps to identify and prioritise action.”
North Northamptonshire Council stated it would fully review the findings and is currently plotting known contaminated sites in the Corby area on a map, describing this as “an extensive piece of work to collate historic data which we will complete as soon as possible.”
The study demonstrates the growing role of citizen science in environmental monitoring, particularly in communities with historic contamination concerns. By training local volunteers to conduct systematic testing, Earthwatch Europe has generated baseline data that regulatory bodies can use to prioritise remediation efforts and ongoing monitoring in areas where industrial legacy continues to affect water quality.