MICROPLASTICS: Professor Says Illegal Sewage Dumping Is Filling UK Rivers with Plastic
Every time untreated sewage is dumped into our rivers, millions of microplastic particles also make their way into the water. When these discharges take place during low river flows the microplastics settle on the riverbed, coated in a cocktail of chemicals and pathogens. These particles can be mistaken for food by hungry fish, thereby threatening fish populations and the wider river ecosystem.
Professor Jamie Woodward from The University of Manchester has been investigating just how deep this problem runs. It was his team's research that revealed the River Tame in Greater Manchester has the highest concentration of channel bed microscopic particles ever recorded.
©Professor Jamie Woodward. Magnified microplastics from the bed of the River Tame
Professor Woodward's research showed more than just the level of contamination. It revealed that the only way such high levels of microplastics could be found on the river bed was through the dumping of untreated wastewater outside of permitted conditions - that's because conventional sewage treatment is very effective at removing the microplastic particles from wastewater. Water companies dispute his findings, although he is world-renowned as a physical geographer with expertise in river catchment systems and his microplastic research has been published in Nature journals where peer review and editorial scrutiny are of the highest order. Two years after the publication of this work the water companies have not come up with a better explanation for these microplastic data.
Defra were invited to join our podcast to discuss microplastics but instead sent this statement which fails to mention illegal discharges of waste water.
“The UK is a global leader in combatting plastic waste and we have taken major steps to tackle plastic pollution, including microplastics. Just last week we launched a UK-wide consultation on banning wet wipes containing plastic, which will help reduce the amount of microplastics entering wastewater treatment plans. More widely, we have restricted the supply of several single-use plastic items such as straws, drink stirrers and cotton buds and introduced a world-leading plastic packaging tax that is stopping microplastics at source.”
United Utilities also declined to join the conversation. Here’s their statement:
“It’s important that society increases its understanding of microplastic pollution, so meaningful solutions can be developed to tackle this issue. That’s why we’re supporting independent scientific research in North Manchester to better understand the sources of microplastic pollution, including from wastewater assets and other river catchment sources. This will help us to understand the sources and impacts of microplastics on the environment and inform future investment plans.”
Professor Woodward asserts that untreated wastewater must be being discharged into rivers during low flows and dry weather. This is not permitted and should only happen in "exceptional circumstances". The implications of his work on microplastics are in agreement with other independent studies of water company behaviour that have identified dry weather spilling of wastewater as widespread.
©Professor Jamie Woodward
As we delve deeper into this pressing environmental crisis, we tackle the UK's consideration of a wet wipe ban and explore potential strategies to staunch the flow of microplastics at source. Professor Woodward's innovative sampling methods are put under the spotlight, and we grapple with the troubling role of microbeads from personal care products and industrial processes in contributing to microplastic pollution. Tune in to this eye-opening discussion for an insight into the silent threat lurking in our waterways and how we can fight back.
Listen to the podcast here to learn more about his findings and what can be done.
