Latest news with #Fidra
Daily Record
22-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Scots river 'has second-highest levels of fertility-harming chemical ever found'
Joint research by York University and Scots environmental charity Fidra raised alarm on contamination of 'forever chemical' TFA in rivers. A Scots river has been found to have the second highest concentration of a toxic chemical thought to harm human fertility ever found in the world. Joint research by York University and environmental charity Fidra has raised the alarm on levels of TFA (trifluoroacetic acid) in Glasgow's River Kelvin. The 'forever chemical' takes more than 1000 years to break down in the environment and German government scientists recently pushed for the EU to classify it as toxic to reproduction amid growing fears. TFA was found in 31 of 32 UK rivers surveyed by researchers, however the highest concentration of 78,464ng (nanograms) per litre was found in the Kelvin – the second highest recorded globally. Sally Johnston, chair of Friends of the River Kelvin, said: 'We need answers on what is causing it and who is accountable. 'It's good to get evidence because then we can action things from there. But the researchers don't even know what the source of this is and it's multifarious. 'We are an urban river. Close to roads, it has been an industrialised river in the past, it's a river that's in recovery. There were 55 working mills on the Kelvin at one point, so it could be a historical issue. But as a little group, we don't have the capacity to do chemical analysis.' Johnston said it had been a 'frantic' week for volunteers after the findings, with dog walkers asking if the Kelvin is still safe for them and their pets. But she stressed: "We've still got a beautiful river here with amazing wildlife. It's a good thing that people become more aware of things like forever chemicals.' "We blindly consume and then we start to ask questions when they become meaningful to us. "So if this raises a bit of awareness and we can ask questions and get the right information, it's ultimately about becoming more knowledgeable and then being able to act on that." TFA, which may also harm unborn babies, has been found in drinking water, wine and food, blood and breast milk. Only the record 140,000ng per litre found in the Neckar River in Germany in 2016 is worse. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Of the UK rivers tested, only the Ness in the Highlands had no TFA. Alistair Boxall of York University said: 'It is likely levels in drinking water will be similar to those we found in some of the rivers. While there are methods to remove TFA from drinking water, these are very expensive and likely impractical. 'We urgently need to stop chemicals like TFA at source so they don't get into our environment.' Hannah Evans of Fidra said: 'We're asking the UK Government to turn off the tap of these persistent forever chemicals.' Germany's Federal Office for Chemicals last month said TFA 'may cause harm to the unborn child' and 'may impair fertility'. Environment watchdog Sepa said: 'We are considering the contents of this report and will be engaging with the researchers to better understand their findings.'
ITV News
17-06-2025
- Health
- ITV News
Concerns grow around the 'forever chemical' trifluoroacetic acid which could be in your morning brew
Trifluoroacetic acid. It's a long name. But that's not the problem. Trifluoroacetic acid - let's just call it TFA for short - also has a long life. And that's the problem. It's commonly classed as a "forever chemical", meaning that it breaks down extremely slowly in nature allowing it to build up over time once it's out there. And according to the results of a new study by the University of York, it's out there in a big way. In fact, out of 32 rivers sampled in the UK, 31 were found to have levels of TFA in them. Professor Alistair Boxall, from the University of York, says what is measured in Yorkshire's rivers will probably be seen in its tap water Some of the highest levels were found right on the university's doorstep, with the Rivers Foss, Ouse and Derwent returning results that put the region among the highest in the study for levels of TFA contamination. So it's out there and it's not going to just break down quickly and disappear like the leftovers from last night's summer salad, but how much should we care? Well, according to the researchers behind the study and the charity which commissioned it, you should care a lot. Firstly, because just promising yourself not to go wild swimming or gulp large gobfulls of river water anytime soon isn't enough to avoid it, apparently. Professor Alistair Boxall, who led the study, says it doesn't seem to be removed by drinking water treatment systems, meaning you've probably already had some with your morning coffee. And secondly, perhaps more worryingly, are the growing concerns around what TFAs might be doing to us; especially where having children is concerned. Environmental charity Fidra admits we're only starting to learn more about potential risks associated with the chemical but says it's known to be harmful to aquatic life, causes potential reproductive and liver issues in mammals and scientists in Germany are already so concerned about it they're calling for it to be classed as toxic for reproduction. These are fears that have led to calls from environmentalists, and the figures behind the University of York study, for more action to be taken to stem the flow of it into the environment at source; it's currently used in a variety of household goods including air conditioning systems, aerosols, heat pumps and some pesticides. So I'll say it one more time. Trifluoroacetic acid. Maybe a long name worth remembering after all. As we could be hearing a lot more about it for a long time. What was the study and what does it show? The University of York study into the presence of 'forever chemicals' found some of the highest levels ever recorded. The study found Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), a chemical used in numerous household items, was found in in 98% of 54 sites tested nationwide. The research was conducted with the environmental charity Fidra and found some of the concentrations recorded are amongst the highest ever reported globally. Rivers in North Yorkshire are among the worst offenders in the UK, according to the findings. Sampling was done across 12 locations in North Yorkshire - on the River Foss, River Ouse and River Derwent - with an average of 990 nanograms per litre being found in the region. This made it the region with the higher levels of TFA contamination in England. Meanwhile, the River Kelvin in Scotland was the most polluted river in the study overall, with TFA mean average concentration levels recorded at 23,968 nanograms per litre. TFA is just one of more than 10,000 PFAS (polyfluoroalkyl substances) now internationally recognised for their adverse health and environmental impacts. These so-called 'forever chemicals' are highly persistent, mobile and can build up along food chains to potentially harmful concentration levels. Some well studied PFAS have been linked to increased risk of various cancers, liver damage, fertility issues, as well as toxicity amongst wildlife, the University of York said. There is currently no practical or economically viable way to remove TFA from the environment, leading to growing scientific concern over the impact that continually rising concentrations may have on human health and environmental processes. A Defra spokesperson said: 'This government is committed protecting human health and the environment from the risks posed by PFAS. 'That's why we are working at pace together with regulators and devolved administrations, to assess levels of PFAS occurring in the environment, their sources and potential risks to inform policy and regulatory approaches.'
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
'Forever chemical' found in dozens of UK rivers, study finds
A "forever chemical" that scientists worry might have an impact on reproduction has been found in all but one of 32 rivers tested across the UK, according to a study. Researchers say trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), which can take hundreds of years to break down, was detected at 98% of the 54 sites they investigated. According to the study, one sample - taken from the River Kelvin in Glasgow - contained the second-highest value of TFA ever recorded in surface water globally. The researchers say the average concentrations of TFA in the UK are at the "higher end" of the global scale compared with the results obtained from other studies - and that the chemical has been found in 31 of the 32 rivers analysed. The research - funded by environmental charity Fidra and carried out by the University of York - looked at how much TFA was present in surface water. It marks the first time such a project has been carried out in the UK. TFA is a type of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) - also known as "forever chemicals" - found in pesticides, pharmaceuticals and fluorinated gases (F-gases). But there is "growing concern" about the general impact on human health and its potential risks to drinking water supplies. According to Fidra, TFA is thought to have "low to moderate" toxicity; however, because levels are rapidly rising in the environment, there are concerns about future impacts. Studies have linked TFA exposure to birth defects in rabbits, while similar short-chained PFAS have been shown to have toxic effects on freshwater organisms. The German Federal Environment Agency (UBA) has applied to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) for TFA to be classified as toxic for reproduction. However, its impacts are still being researched. 'Increasingly concerned' Experts say the results of the latest study provide "compelling evidence of the presence of TFA and PFAS in UK waterways". The researchers added: "These data should be further analysed to try and establish the drivers of TFA contamination in UK surface waters and routes for source control should be prioritised. "The scientific communities are becoming increasingly concerned about the potentially harmful properties of TFA and increasing levels in the environment, particularly in water sources. "There are currently no practical or economically viable ways to remove TFA from water supplies. "TFA was found in 31 of the 32 rivers examined." Read more from Sky News: Samples were taken from sites across northern England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Scientists say TFA has the potential to cause reproductive and liver issues in mammals and is harmful to aquatic life. It also accumulates in crops and fields and "builds up" in drinking water. The research comes as a committee of MPs said the UK's water sector is in need of "root-and-branch reform". The cross-party Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) committee said the industry is "failing" - and trust and accountability in the sector was "very low".
Sky News
16-06-2025
- Health
- Sky News
'Forever chemical' found in dozens of UK rivers, study finds
A "forever chemical" that scientists worry might have an impact on reproduction has been found in all but one of 32 rivers tested across the UK, according to a study. Researchers say trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), which can take hundreds of years to break down, was detected at 98% of the 54 sites they investigated. According to the study, one sample - taken from the River Kelvin in Glasgow - contained the second-highest value of TFA ever recorded in surface water globally. The researchers say the average concentrations of TFA in the UK are at the "higher end" of the global scale compared with the results obtained from other studies - and that the chemical has been found in 31 of the 32 rivers analysed. The research - funded by environmental charity Fidra and carried out by the University of York - looked at how much TFA was present in surface water. It marks the first time such a project has been carried out in the UK. TFA is a type of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) - also known as "forever chemicals" - found in pesticides, pharmaceuticals and fluorinated gases (F-gases). But there is "growing concern" about the general impact on human health and its potential risks to drinking water supplies. According to Fidra, TFA is thought to have "low to moderate" toxicity; however, because levels are rapidly rising in the environment, there are concerns about future impacts. Studies have linked TFA exposure to birth defects in rabbits, while similar short-chained PFAS have been shown to have toxic effects on freshwater organisms. The German Federal Environment Agency (UBA) has applied to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) for TFA to be classified as toxic for reproduction. However, its impacts are still being researched. 'Increasingly concerned' Experts say the results of the latest study provide "compelling evidence of the presence of TFA and PFAS in UK waterways". The researchers added: "These data should be further analysed to try and establish the drivers of TFA contamination in UK surface waters and routes for source control should be prioritised. "The scientific communities are becoming increasingly concerned about the potentially harmful properties of TFA and increasing levels in the environment, particularly in water sources. "There are currently no practical or economically viable ways to remove TFA from water supplies. "TFA was found in 31 of the 32 rivers examined." Samples were taken from sites across northern England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Scientists say TFA has the potential to cause reproductive and liver issues in mammals and is harmful to aquatic life. It also accumulates in crops and fields and "builds up" in drinking water. The research comes as a committee of MPs said the UK's water sector is in need of "root-and-branch reform". The cross-party Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) committee said the industry is "failing" - and trust and accountability in the sector was "very low".
Edinburgh Live
07-06-2025
- Climate
- Edinburgh Live
Hundreds flock to Edinburgh Meadows Festival despite thundery forecast
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Get the latest Edinburgh Live breaking news on WhatsApp Hundreds of festival-goers have congregated in centre city on Saturday, June 7, for the annual Meadows Festival, braving thundery forecasts. The festival is in full swing with tents and stages occupying the park from June 7 and 8. The stacked programme of events includes a dog show, youth sports competitions, fair rides, a yoga zone, live music, and even an event that specifically celebrates the music of Kate Bush with dressing up and dancing. Three stages are set up around the Meadows with live performances from acts including Laura Silverstone and Fidra. Sunday's main stage will welcome the Edinburgh Ukrainian Choir, Bambitos, and Groove Down, among others. (Image: Edinburgh Live) The community-ran festival has operated since 1974 and regularly brings over 20,000 people to the park in the first week of June. The 2025 festivities continued to draw throngs of participants to Edinburgh despite less than ideal weather. Earlier today we brought you a forecast showing hours of continuous thunder storms on Saturday, June 7. According to BBC Weather, Edinburgh will experience lightning and rain throughout most of the afternoon from 2pm until 7pm. Already the capital has seen ongoing downpours, marking the beginning of a dreich weekend.
