Chemical Pollution: The Silent Killer of UK Rivers
This blog discusses the new report from Wildfish, RSPB, Buglife and the Pesticide Collaboration called Chemical Pollution: T...
The report analyses, in greater detail, the impact chemical pollution is having on the twelve English rivers and their aquatic wildlife.
“Chemical Pollution: The Silent Killer of UK Rivers” uses Species at Risk (SPEAR) scores (stress scores calculated from the diversity and abundance of invertebrates present in a river) generated from the Riverfly Census. The findings show that in autumn 2021, the number of sites achieving ‘poor’ or ‘bad’ on the chemical stress scale was considerably greater than in 2015, 2016 and 2017. This suggests chemical pollution, from sources such as agricultural pesticides and pharmaceuticals, is getting worse.
In spring and autumn of 2021, the mean number of riverfly species (specifically mayflies, stoneflies and caddisflies) identified was significantly fewer than previous years (in autumn 2021 just 10 species were identified, compared to 18 in Spring 2015).
The report concludes that stopping pollution at source is imperative, and the upcoming Chemicals Strategy is an opportunity for Government to reduce our reliance on chemicals and ensure sufficient enforcement of regulation.
The report sets out a series of key recommendations to Government:
“Chemical pollution isn’t a new problem. In fact, Rachel Carson warned us of its threat in her book Silent Spring in 1962.”
Janina went on to say: “the results of the Chemical Report show that invertebrate communities are more stressed now than they were in our previous study, indicating the problem is getting worse. The upcoming Chemical Strategy is an opportunity to reverse the trend, but only if Government step up to the mark and acts now”.
Support like yours allows our determined campaigning team to fight the destruction caused by open-net salmon farming, pollution and over-abstraction
Find out about all the ways in which you can help wild fish…
Thanks for doing this work should you need help on any investigations I would like to help where I can as a limnologist freshwater biologists sparsholt Trained B.Sc. aqua thx nigel
Tremendous things here. I’m verfy happy to peer your article.
Thank you a lot and I amm looking forward to contact you.
Wiill youu kidly drop me a mail?