Latest news with #waterpollution
The Independent
13 hours ago
- Health
- The Independent
One of the biggest microplastic pollution sources revealed – and it's not straws or bags
Every few years, the tires on your car wear thin and need to be replaced. But where does that lost tire material go? The answer, unfortunately, is often waterways, where the tiny microplastic particles from the tires' synthetic rubber carry several chemicals that can transfer into fish, crabs and perhaps even the people who eat them. We are analytical and environmental chemists who are studying ways to remove those microplastics – and the toxic chemicals they carry – before they reach waterways and the aquatic organisms that live there. Microplastics, macro-problem Millions of metric tons of plastic waste enter the world's oceans every year. In recent times, tire wear particles have been found to account for about 45% of all microplastics in both terrestrial and aquatic systems. Tires shed tiny microplastics as they move over roadways. Rain washes those tire wear particles into ditches, where they flow into streams, lakes, rivers and oceans. Along the way, fish, crabs, oysters and other aquatic life often find these tire wear particles in their food. With each bite, the fish also consume extremely toxic chemicals that can affect both the fish themselves and whatever creatures eat them. Some fish species, like rainbow trout, brook trout and coho salmon, are dying from toxic chemicals linked to tire wear particles. Researchers in 2020 found that more than half of the coho salmon returning to streams in Washington state died before spawning, largely because of 6PPD-Q, a chemical stemming from 6PPD, which is added to tires to help keep them from degrading. But the effects of tire wear particles aren't just on aquatic organisms. Humans and animals alike may be exposed to airborne tire wear particles, especially people and animals who live near major roadways. In a study in China, the same chemical, 6PPD-Q, was also found in the urine of children and adults. While the effects of this chemical on the human body are still being studied, recent research shows that exposure to this chemical could harm multiple human organs, including the liver, lungs and kidneys. In Oxford, Mississippi, we identified more than 30,000 tire wear particles in 24 liters of stormwater runoff from roads and parking lots after two rainstorms. In heavy traffic areas, we believe the concentrations could be much higher. The Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council, a states-led coalition, in 2023 recommended identifying and deploying alternatives to 6PPD in tires to reduce 6PPD-Q in the environment. But tire manufacturers say there's no suitable replacement yet. What can communities do to reduce harm? At the University of Mississippi, we are experimenting with sustainable ways of removing tire wear particles from waterways with accessible and low-cost natural materials from agricultural wastes. The idea is simple: Capture the tire wear particles before they reach the streams, rivers and oceans. In a recent study, we tested pine wood chips and biochar – a form or charcoal made from heating rice husks in a limited oxygen chamber, a process known as pyrolysis – and found they could remove approximately 90% of tire wear particles from water runoff at our test sites in Oxford. Biochar is an established material for removing contaminants from water due to its large surface area and pores, abundant chemical binding groups, high stability, strong adsorption capacity and low cost. Wood chips, because of their rich composition of natural organic compounds, have also been shown to remove contaminants. Other scientists have also used sand to filter out microplastics, but its removal rate was low compared with biochar. We designed a biofiltration system using biochar and wood chips in a filter sock and placed it at the mouth of a drainage outlet. Then we collected stormwater runoff samples and measured the tire wear particles before and after the biofilters were in place during two storms over the span of two months. The concentration of tire wear particles was found to be significantly lower after the biofilter was in place. The unique elongated and jagged features of tire wear particles make it easy for them to get trapped or entangled in the pores of these materials during a storm event. Even the smallest tire wear particles were trapped in the intricate network of these materials. Using biomass filters in the future We believe this approach holds strong potential for scalability to mitigate tire wear particle pollution and other contaminants during rainstorms. Since biochar and wood chips can be generated from agricultural waste, they are relatively inexpensive and readily available to local communities. Long-term monitoring studies will be needed, especially in heavy traffic environments, to fully determine the effectiveness and scalability of the approach. The source of the filtering material is also important. There have been some concerns about whether raw farm waste that has not undergone pyrolysis could release organic pollutants. Like most filters, the biofilters would need to be replaced over time – with used filters disposed of properly – since the contaminants build up and the filters degrade. Plastic waste is harming the environment, the food people eat and potentially human health. We believe biofilters made from plant waste could be an effective and relatively inexpensive, environmentally friendly solution. Boluwatife S. Olubusoye is a PhD Candidate in Chemistry at the University of Mississippi. James V. Cizdziel is a Professor of Chemistry at the University of Mississippi.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Water company to invest £83m to tackle pollution
A water company has unveiled an £83m plan to combat a coastal area's long-running problems with water pollution. Anglian Water said it would invest the money in north Norfolk over the next five years and plans include connecting a series of properties to the sewerage system for the first time to prevent storm overflow. The company has previously revealed it will be investing more than £660m across Norfolk to improve water recycling treatment. Steffan Aquarone, the Liberal Democrat MP for North Norfolk, said: "This investment is a good first step in solving the sewage crisis and will help to reduce sewage spills and increase treatment capacity." The water company said it will spend £32m to connect properties in Antingham, Barton Turf, Hanworth, Bessingham, Happisburgh and Ludham to the sewerage system for the first time. A further £4m will be used to reduce combined storm overflow (CSO) spill frequency which has impacted the bathing water in Mundesley, it added. Part of the money will also go towards reducing the amount of phosphorus and nitrogen in treated water in areas across north Norfolk. Anglian Water said its business plan would focus on tackling CSOs as they were no longer the right solution for when sewers become overloaded. Last year there was an increase in the amount of sewage pumped into rivers and the sea in north Norfolk. Over 2024 untreated waste water was released in the East of England for almost 500,000 hours, including flowing into the River Stiffkey, near Blakeney, for more than 1,500 hours. More than 500 hours worth of spills came from Cromer's main sewage works in the North Sea, off the coast of West Runton, and a pipe at West Runton beach had 116 hours of spills during 32 incidents, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported. The Environment Agency has found the number of water company pollution incidents across England has risen sharply last year. While Anglian Water was not one of the companies named responsible for 81% of serious incidents, the organisation said it acknowledges it must "do better" on some critical measures of environmental performance. It said: "We've drastically changed how we operate to address more effectively the unique and complex challenges facing our region, but we knew it was going to take time for this to be reflected in our environmental performance." Aquarone added he had been campaigning for years to ensure people in his constituency got clean water and have unpolluted oceans. The water company has been contacted about its plans for the rest of the county. Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. More on this story Rise in sewage spills prompts investment concerns Related internet links Anglian Water Environment Agency
BBC News
5 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Anglia Water to invest £83m to tackle pollution in north Norfolk
A water company has unveiled an £83m plan to combat a coastal area's long-running problems with water Water said it would invest the money in north Norfolk over the next five years and plans include connecting a series of properties to the sewerage system for the first time to prevent storm company has previously revealed it will be investing more than £660m across Norfolk to improve water recycling Aquarone, the Liberal Democrat MP for North Norfolk, said: "This investment is a good first step in solving the sewage crisis and will help to reduce sewage spills and increase treatment capacity." The water company said it will spend £32m to connect properties in Antingham, Barton Turf, Hanworth, Bessingham, Happisburgh and Ludham to the sewerage system for the first time. A further £4m will be used to reduce combined storm overflow (CSO) spill frequency which has impacted the bathing water in Mundesley, it added. Part of the money will also go towards reducing the amount of phosphorus and nitrogen in treated water in areas across north Norfolk. Anglian Water said its business plan would focus on tackling CSOs as they were no longer the right solution for when sewers become overloaded. Last year there was an increase in the amount of sewage pumped into rivers and the sea in north Norfolk. Over 2024 untreated waste water was released in the East of England for almost 500,000 hours, including flowing into the River Stiffkey, near Blakeney, for more than 1,500 hours. More than 500 hours worth of spills came from Cromer's main sewage works in the North Sea, off the coast of West Runton, and a pipe at West Runton beach had 116 hours of spills during 32 incidents, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported. The Environment Agency has found the number of water company pollution incidents across England has risen sharply last Anglian Water was not one of the companies named responsible for 81% of serious incidents, the organisation said it acknowledges it must "do better" on some critical measures of environmental said: "We've drastically changed how we operate to address more effectively the unique and complex challenges facing our region, but we knew it was going to take time for this to be reflected in our environmental performance."Aquarone added he had been campaigning for years to ensure people in his constituency got clean water and have unpolluted oceans. The water company has been contacted about its plans for the rest of the county. Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
The Guardian
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Ministers vow to tackle all forms of water pollution in England and Wales
Ministers will take action to tackle all forms of water pollution in England and Wales, the government has promised, as the sector awaits the findings of a report on the water industry on Monday. The commitment by Steve Reed, the environment secretary, aims to highlight that, while sewage spills into waterways are a significant source of public concern, runoff from farms and roads also makes up a critical part of the pollutants going into rivers and other bodies of water. A report on the water industry in England and Wales, led by Sir Jon Cunliffe, a former deputy governor of the Bank of England, is due to be published on Monday morning, and is expected to recommend the abolition of Ofwat, the water industry regulator. Reed is expected to take on the Sunday morning broadcast round for the government, with ministers under increasing pressure to act after data on Friday showed serious pollution incidents involving water companies rose by 60% in 2024 compared with the previous year. According to the Environment Agency's statistics, of the 75 serious incidents more than 80% were due to three companies: Thames Water, Southern Water and Yorkshire Water. All three said they were taking action to improve their performances. After Monday's report, ministers are expected to roll out new measures to tackle other significant causes of water pollution. They plan to tackle agricultural runoffs, which are mainly connected to animal waste or fertiliser residues running into rivers and can often cause high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in rivers, cresting toxic algal blooms. This year, the environment secretary announced plans to loosen regulation for chicken farms and came in for heavy criticism from green groups, who said the changes could worsen water pollution. According to an analysis by the Independent Water Commission for its interim report, published last month, 45% of water bodies in England are affected by pollutants from agriculture – slightly more than the 44% affected by runoff from the water industry. The same study said nearly 20% of water bodies saw pollutants from roads and transport, including oil, chemicals and the residues from tyre and brake wear, a problem made worse by heavy rain. A more minor contributor, but one that can last a long time, is the effect of chemicals in metals mines contaminating groundwater, even many years after they have closed. While the number of Environment Agency inspections of farms has increased, ministers are planning more action, including new measures to limit the impact from mining. Sign up to Down to Earth The planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential after newsletter promotion Reed said: 'Pollution from sewage, agriculture and vehicles is poisoning our rivers. We are cracking down on sewage pollution from water companies, but we need to tackle all sources of pollution, including from farming. That's the only way to clean up our country's rivers, lakes and seas.' The political pressure over waterways pollution, particularly connected to sewage spills, is intense, with polls showing consistent support for re-nationalising the industry, which the government has ruled out, and for jailing water bosses responsible for pollution. The Liberal Democrats have campaigned particularly hard on pollution in rivers, streams and coastal areas, with the subject forming a key element of the party's election campaign last year.
The Guardian
5 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Mutant seabirds, sewer secrets and a lick of art ice-cream: Folkestone Triennial review
Folkestone doesn't have a pier. It has an Arm. That's what the harbour's long walkway into the Channel is called. It is a suitably surreal, even grotesque setting for the Folkestone Triennial artworks that infest its salty nooks and crannies – or armpits and elbow crooks. Laure Prouvost has placed a mutant seabird, with three heads and an electric plug on its tail, on the adjacent concrete stump of the defunct ferry terminal. Surprising? Not really if you have just visited The Ministry of Sewers, an installation by Cooking Sections that documents and protests the poisoning of our rivers and seas. There's nothing like an exhibit on the scale of Britain's water pollution to kick off a day at the seaside. It's cloudy when I visit, the cliffs and sea swathed in white mist and the water under the Arm looking like a detergent soup. It all adds to the uncanny mood. And art doesn't come much more uncanny than the sculpture by Dorothy Cross near the far end of the Arm. You have to go down soaking wet, concrete steps to a recess with a precipitous opening to the evil-looking sea. 'Try not to fall in,' says the attendant, who stays up above. Here you find a massive block of blood-coloured marble, as if a giant tuna steak had been stashed here by fish smugglers. The sides are smooth, the top uneven and rough. Out of this earthy hulk Cross has carved several pairs of feet in hyperrealistic detail, nervously walking its beach-like surface. They face out to sea, as if about to make a bold leap into the blue-green water, to find a better life. Cross has made a monument to migrants. The marble she has used is from Syria, the feet pattering over it full of fear and hope. These lifelike appendages and the surface on which they stand echo Magritte's surrealist 1934 painting The Red Model, of disembodied feet on red ground, while her use of massive, raw stone to suggest infinite sorrow - the weight of the world - shows she understands Michelangelo. This is a superb sculpture, brilliantly sited. It would be worth visiting Folkestone just to see it. But there's more – if you fancy a walk. Up above the cliffs, on steep green downs guarded by Martello towers built to fend off invasion during the Napoleonic wars, are a string of thoughtful, often witty artworks. A monolith that looks as if it were made from glue and plastic stands alone on a mowed hill, facing the sea. Approaching, you read the words 'Curse dissolved'. That's heartening. The brochure describes this piece by South African artist Dineo Seshee Raisibe Bopape as 'meditative' but it made me laugh. What is the curse? Who lifted it? I chew on this as I climb to a white circular tower inside which Katie Paterson also plays with magic. Paterson shows, on curving display tables inside the round room where red-coated soldiers once lived, a collection of mystic charms from different times and places. There are images of ancient Egyptian gods, Buddhist amulets and a tiny figure of the Mesopotamian demon Pazuzu who features in The Exorcist. Each replica is cast in materials that bear witness to planetary crisis, including space debris from satellites and plastic from the Mariana trench. Paterson has a track record of working with scientists to get her hands on such exotic materials. Her installation is a more refined version of the Ministry of Sewers, a sly way to show us that we are turning everything to crap. These amulets are bluntly satirical. They seem to mock the magical thinking of those who would wish away the Earth's crisis. If you head on to the next Martello tower you might be momentarily cheered up by Jennifer Tee's wavy picture of a giant kelp, mapped in the grass in brown bricks which also have sea kelp and other life forms imprinted on their surfaces. It makes you look out to the sea below and imagine the threatened life it holds. There are jollities to be found in this seaside art trail – for the kids, Monster Chetwynd has started building an adventure playground, and down in the harbour you can get Emeka Ogboh's 'artist designed ice-cream'. But then I find huge burial urns littered in the high moorland overlooking the misty Channel. Sara Trillo has modelled these deathly objects on bronze age grave goods. They return you to melancholy: the view from here is as bleak as it is beautiful. Folkestone Triennial opens on 19 July
