24 Apr 2024
Investigation by The Guardian The majority of UK dairy farms are breaking pollution rules, with vast amounts of cow manure being spilled into rivers. When animal waste enters the river, it causes a buildup of the nutrients found in the effluent, such as nitrates and phosphates. These cause algal blooms, which deplete the waterway of […]
23 Apr 2024
Research in the Science Advances journal has published results showing significant deposition of PFAAs from ocean sea spray. Forever chemicals Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are synthetic organic chemicals found globally in the environment due to their extensive use in various consumer and industrial applications and are often referred to as ‘forever chemicals’. Perfluoroalkyl acids […]
17 Apr 2024
The Farming Minister has announced a new plan to better protect and preserve the River Wye for future generations, including up to £35 million in funding and the appointment of a new ‘River Champion’ and taskforce. The River Wye and its surrounding area is cherished by residents and visitors, however, the condition of the river […]
03 Apr 2024
Following last week’s publication of storm overflow spill data for 2023, covered in last week’s news, the sewage has really been hitting the fan The BBC highlighted that sewage spills into England’s rivers and seas by water companies more than doubled last year. According to the Environment Agency there were 3.6 million hours of spills […]
03 Apr 2024
According to Labour Party analysis of NHS hospital admissions statistics, waterborne diseases such as dysentery and Weil’s disease have risen by 60% since 2010 in England. Over the last year, 122 people were diagnosed with leptospirosis (Weil’s disease), double the number in 2010. The disease, which can lead to liver damage and kidney failure, is […]
26 Mar 2024
The Guardian reports that new EU rules which introduce “polluter pays” principles to get pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies to pay for the pollution they cause in rivers will not be adopted by the government in England, as campaigners say the country is falling behind. Lawmakers in Europe have signed off on an update to the urban waste […]
13 Mar 2024
The Sustainable Solutions for Water and Nature (SSWAN) partnership has published an outline of a new model and discussion paper for regulation of the water environment. The new SSWAN model shifts regulation towards catchment-based approaches to support cheaper, more innovative, more collaborative projects that more accurately reflect local priorities. SSWAN proposes a four-tier regulatory framework: […]
13 Mar 2024
While sewage and intensive farming pollution steal the media headlines, an eco-toxic cocktail of hydrocarbons, metals and plastics runs off our roads into rivers and streams when it rains. Stormwater Shepherds and CIWEM have been pulling together the evidence. Poly aromatic hydrocarbons are nasty, toxic organic substances. They are carcinogenic; they cause mutations and deformities in aquatic organisms and they affect their […]
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