Latest news with #RiversTrust
CNA
2 days ago
- Health
- CNA
Commentary: What the world needs now is a universal ban on ‘forever chemicals'
LONDON: The more you learn about PFAS – per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – the worse it gets. Though improvements in monitoring and remediation techniques are welcome, what the world needs first and foremost is a universal ban on the chemicals. In fact, we needed it yesterday. There are more than 10,000 PFAS, also known as ' forever chemicals,' and they're used almost everywhere, including in non-stick cookware, waterproof clothing, smartphones, packets of microwave popcorn, hair conditioners, firefighting foam, pacemakers, pesticides and dental floss. They don't readily degrade; they also don't stay where we put them. As a result, we can now find PFAS in places such as our blood, human breast milk, Antarctica, wild animals and tap water. In the Netherlands, people have been warned not to eat the eggs from their backyard chickens by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment due to high levels of the chemicals. Though it's not yet clear why home-produced eggs have higher amounts of PFAS than commercial ones, one theory is that earthworms now contain such chemicals, and hens like to eat the worms. An analysis by environmental groups Wildlife and Countryside Link and the Rivers Trust found that nearly all rivers, lakes and ponds in England exceed proposed safety limits, with 85 per cent containing levels at least five times higher. France has banned tap water in 16 communes due to PFAS contamination, while a piece of investigative journalism called the Forever Pollution Project located 23,000 contaminated sites across Europe and a further 21,500 sites of presumptive contamination. I expect we haven't seen the last of the tap water bans. If the scale and extent of the pollution are hard to get your head around, the health implications are worse. PFAS have been linked to increased risk of various types of cancer, fertility problems, birth complications, delays to puberty and weakened immune systems. They've also been associated with increased cholesterol levels and kidney problems. COMPANIES ARE LOBBYING, DRAGGING THEIR FEET We're looking at an issue analogous to climate change – right down to lobbying and cover-ups by PFAS manufacturers. Internal documents from 3M, one of the original and largest producers, and chemical firm DuPont de Nemours revealed that the companies knew the substances were accumulating in people and showing signs of toxicity for decades without telling anyone. While 3M still maintains that their PFAS-containing products are 'safe' for their intended uses in everyday life, in December 2022 the company announced it will discontinue the use of PFAS by the end of 2025. Together, the firms have had to pay billions in lawsuit settlements related to their pollution, with more possibly to come as injury cases hit the courts. As with carbon dioxide, the longer we keep emitting PFAS into the environment, the worse the problem gets and the harder it is to clean up with remediation technologies. While the PFAS market globally is worth just over US$28 billion, the cost of cleaning up all the related pollution in the UK and Europe could be €100 billion (US$116 billion) a year if nothing is done to stem the chemicals' steady flow into the environment. And that doesn't factor in the healthcare costs, which the Nordic Council of Ministers estimates is at least €52 billion annually. Though some consumer brands such as outdoor gear retailer Patagonia and fast-food chain McDonald's have committed to phasing out PFAS from their products and packaging, others have been dragging their feet. A team of researchers, lawyers and journalists has also exposed a huge lobbying campaign against proposed restrictions in Europe, showing entrenched resistance to change. REGULATING ALL PFAS AS A GROUP, NOT INDIVIDUALLY So we need a ban, but so far, we've only seen piecemeal prohibitions targeting either a specific chemical or, in a couple of leading countries, sectors. The import and sale of PFAS-treated clothing, shoes and waterproofing agents will be barred from July 2026 in Denmark, while the chemicals have been banned in paper and board food packaging since 2020. The country has also recently announced a ban on 23 pesticides that can form a very mobile form of PFAS called trifluoroacetic acid. France, meanwhile, has banned PFAS in several consumer product groups, including textiles, cosmetics and ski wax. Cookware, however, has been excluded from the ban after a campaign led by the French maker of Tefal pans, Groupe SEB. Though it's a start, exempting a sector for which safe alternatives are readily available is, frankly, scandalous. A universal ban may be on its way. In 2023, five European Union member states – Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and Norway – submitted a proposal to the European Chemicals Agency, which two scientific committees are now examining. The ban covers both consumer and industrial applications, with time-limited exemptions expected for some uses where there are no alternatives, such as medical devices. What's most significant about the restriction is that it takes a precautionary approach, regulating all 10,000-plus PFAS as a group rather than individually. According to CHEM Trust, a charity focused on harmful synthetic chemicals, under the current rate of regulation that analyses each chemical individually, it would take more than 40,000 years to get through them all. WE KNOW THAT RESTRICTIONS HELP So the EU ban will be a huge step forward with positive impacts beyond its borders. But we'll be waiting a while for it to come into effect – if everything goes smoothly, we're likely looking at 2028 before sectors transition to new rules. Meanwhile, progress elsewhere is pitiful. The United Kingdom government published an interim position on PFAS management in June, but this has been criticised by scientists for opting not to target all chemicals at once and instead creating their own groupings. Not only is this risky, failing to regulate compounds that lack toxicity data, but it lacks urgency. In the United States, the Trump administration has pulled nearly US$15 million in research into PFAS contamination of farmland, while the Environmental Protection Agency has announced plans to rescind drinking water limits for four forever chemicals. Of course, even banning the use of all PFAS tomorrow won't do anything for the substances already in our bodies and drinking water. But we know that restrictions help. Two chemicals – PFOS and PFOA – are already banned in Europe. A 2023 study showed that blood concentrations of the chemicals have declined substantially over time in Denmark.
The Guardian
11-07-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Toxic Pfas above proposed safety limits in almost all English waters tested
Nearly all rivers, lakes and ponds in England tested for a range of Pfas, known as 'forever chemicals', exceed proposed new safety limits and 85% contain levels at least five times higher, analysis of official data reveals. Out of 117 water bodies tested by the Environment Agency for multiple types of Pfas, 110 would fail the safety standard, according to analysis by Wildlife and Countryside Link and the Rivers Trust. They also found levels of Pfos – a banned carcinogenic Pfas – in fish were on average 322 times higher than planned limits for wildlife. If just one portion of such freshwater fish was eaten each month this would exceed the safe threshold of Pfos for people to consume over a year, according to the NGOs. Pfas, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of thousands of human-made chemicals used in industrial processes and products such as non-stick pans, clothing and firefighting foams. They do not break down in the environment and some are linked to diseases, including cancers and hormone disruption. Pfas pollution is widespread, prompting the EU to propose a new water quality standard that limits the combined toxicity of 24 Pfas to 4.4 nanograms per litre of water, calculated as PFOA-equivalents – a method that weights each substance according to its toxicity relative to PFOA, a particularly hazardous and well-studied carcinogen that is now banned. The EU is also planning to regulate about 10,000 Pfas as one class as there are too many to assess on a case-by-case basis and because none break down in the environment, but the UK has no plans to follow suit. Last week, environment groups, led by the Marine Conservation Society, wrote to ministers, urging a ban on all Pfas in consumer products and a timeline for phasing them out in all other uses. Now, public health and nature groups have joined forces to propose urgent measures to rein in pollution. 'Scientists continue to identify Pfas as one of the biggest threats of our time, yet the UK is falling behind other countries in restricting them,' said Hannah Evans of the environmental charity Fidra. 'Every day of inaction locks in decades of pollution and environmental harm … we're asking the UK government to turn off the tap of these persistent forever chemicals.' They say the UK should align with the EU's group-based Pfas restrictions and ban the substances in food packaging, clothing, cosmetics, toys and firefighting foams, following examples from Denmark, France and the EU. They want better monitoring, tougher water and soil standards and to make polluters cover the cost of Pfas clean-up. Emma Adler, the director of impact at Wildlife and Countryside Link, said: 'Pfas are linked to an explosion of impacts for wildlife and public health, from cancers to immune issues. These new figures underline just how widespread Pfas pollution is and that Pfas regulation must be a much clearer priority in government missions to clean up UK rivers and improve the nation's health.' Thalie Martini, the chief executive officer at Breast Cancer UK, said: 'Evidence points to the potential for some Pfas to be related to health issues, including increasing breast cancer risk … millions of families affected by this disease will want the government to do everything they can to deliver tougher Pfas rules to protect our health.' Last year, 59 Pfas experts urged the government to follow the science and regulate all Pfas as a single class, warning their extreme persistence – regardless of toxicity – posed a serious environmental threat. 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 'Countries like France and Denmark, the EU as a whole and many US states have taken strong action against Pfas pollution,' said Dr Francesca Ginley from the Marine Conservation Society. 'The time is now for the UK to take a stand and show the leadership we need on Pfas pollution from source to sea.' Dr Shubhi Sharma of the charity Chem Trust said: 'Too often with hazardous chemicals the world has ignored early warnings of harm and learned lessons far too late. Costs to tackle Pfas in the environment and address health impacts have a multi-billion pound economic price tag … the government must not delay.' An Environment Agency spokesperson said the science on Pfas was moving quickly and that it was running a multi-year programme to improve understanding of Pfas pollution sources in England. They added: 'We are screening sites to identify potential sources of Pfas pollution and prioritise further investigations, whilst assessing how additional control measures could reduce the risks of Pfas in the environment.' A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: 'The government is committed to protecting human health and the environment from the risks posed by Pfas. That's why we are working at pace together with regulators to assess levels of Pfas in the environment, their sources and potential risks to inform our approach to policy and regulation.'
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Yahoo
Wild swim spot in Pembrokeshire where water has a 'greenish hue' among UK's best
A wild swim spot by the Pembrokeshire coast has been named among the best in the UK. From Polurrian Beach in Cornwall to Stroan Loch in Dumfriesshire, and everywhere in between, The Telegraph has compiled a list of the best spots to visit for a spot of wild swimming. The list was compiled based on comments from wild swimmers across the UK and a water safety website. 🏊 In May 2024, Sadiq Khan expressed an intention to make London's rivers swimmable within 10 years Read more ⬇️ — Telegraph Travel (@TelegraphTravel) June 10, 2025 Introducing the list, the news outlet said: "We outdoor swimmers are all devotees of our favourite spots. "We worship local patches of clean water, especially during a heat wave. But where can you swim safely these days? "Only 15 per cent of England's river stretches have good ecological health, according to The Rivers Trust. "But the good news is there are still places we can go in the UK for a wild dip that are safe, open to the public and far enough away from sewage works and fisheries. "These are the waters we go to when the world feels too small, or when we want to trade the malady of the workplace for the wild. "If our homes are still castles, think of these swim spots like stony chapels. "They offer shaded banks for us to sit and ponder life and cool depths to plunge into when the mercury soars." The best wild swim spots in the UK, according to The Telegraph, are: Serpentine Lake (London) Hampstead Ponds (London) King Edward's Bay (Tyne and Wear) Black Moss Pot (Cumbria) Wast Water (Cumbria) Catrigg Force (Yorkshire) Slippery Stones (Derbyshire) Rutland Water (Rutland) Three Shires Head (Staffordshire) Henley-on-Thames to Marlow (Oxfordshire) Brighton Beach (East Sussex) Walpole Tidal Pool (Kent) Fritton Lake (Norfolk) St Michael's Mount (Cornwall) Polurrian Beach (Cornwall) Keeper's Pond (Blaenavon) The Blue Lagoon (Pembrokeshire) Stroan Loch (Dumfriesshire) Ardvreck Castle, Loch Assynt (Sutherland) Ballygally Beach (County Antrim) Pembrokeshire is known for its picturesque coastal walks, beautiful beaches and hidden gems, and the Blue Lagoon is most certainly among the latter. The wild swim spot, which is among the UK's best, is a quarter-mile walk around the headland from Abereiddy Beach. And boasting "excellent" water quality, the Blue Lagoon is well worth a visit, according to The Telegraph. The news outlet explains: "Take a few strokes and the seafloor descends from view. "You can kick off from the shelving, drift around your confines and float on your back, peering up at the shields of rock that keep the waves at bay. "In the sunshine, the water takes on a greenish hue due to its high mineral content. "The lagoon owes its unusual shape to human handiwork and the fact it was once a quarry. Follow a gravel path and scramble over rocks to reach the water's edge." Have you visited the Blue Lagoon before? (Image: Getty Images) The lagoon also comes highly recommended by visitors, with a 4.3 (out of 5) rating on Tripadvisor (from 282 reviews). One person, posting about the experience, said: "Weather you want to jump in or if you just want to watch others jump in this place is always worth a visit, with cliffs and bays all around there are plenty of walks nearby." Another visitor added: "Great place to visit. The water in the lagoon is a Turquoise Greeny Blue and there were lots of Kayakers and people jumping off the walls into the water, including a dog who didn't want to miss the fun. "It is a lovely place to walk, swim or just relax on the pebble beach. You do pay to park here but if you stay the day it is worth it." A third commented: "Idyllic. What a beautiful beach with a stunning short walk down to the sand. "Perfectly clean. Toilet facilities. Car parking (pay by machine or paybyphone app). Dogs welcome." RECOMMENDED READING: Pembrokeshire coastal trail with ruined chapel and pub at end among UK's best 'Genteel' seaside town in Pembrokeshire with 'glorious' beaches among UK's best Three 'unspoilt' Pembrokeshire beaches named among the UK's best Before you venture out to take part in a touch of wild/open water swimming, there are some safety tips from the RNLI you should consider: Make sure you're prepared for your wild/open water swim - check the weather and tides, choose your spot, go with a buddy, and have the right equipment. If in doubt, don't go out - no matter how much preparation you do, or how experienced you are, if a swim doesn't feel right there is no shame in getting out of the water straight away, or not entering. Make sure you acclimatise to avoid cold water shock. Be seen. Wear a bright coloured swim hat and take a tow float. Stay within your depths. Float to live. If you get caught in an emergency situation while out wild swimming, call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard.
Agriland
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Agriland
Concern that gov proposal lowers protection for rivers and lakes
The Sustainable Water Network (SWAN) and the Rivers Trust are raising the alarm over a government plan that would make it easier to damage hundreds of rivers, lakes, and coastal waters across the country. According to the groups, under the proposed plan protections for 466 stretches of water would be weakened by labelling them 'heavily modified water bodies'. The groups believe the label is a 'technical term' that, in practice, means they would no longer have to meet the same high standards for environmental health as other rivers and lakes. They claim this gives the green light for widespread dredging, digging, and clearance works that harm rivers, riverbanks and other wildlife habitats such as salmon pools. Both SWAN and the Rivers Trust claim that the changes would affect 10% of Ireland's waters. Rivers SWAN CEO, Sinéad O'Brien believes that the proposal is 'reckless' and that it shows 'disregard for the public'. She said: 'The government's plan to lower protections for one in 10 of our rivers, lakes, and coastal waters, without evidence or proper explanation, shows disregard for the public. 'People could be forgiven for thinking this is just a way to make our poor water quality stats look better on paper. But it's out of step with EU rules and puts wildlife like kingfishers, otters and trout at risk.' 'This must be stopped until proper assessments of possible restoration measures and of all alternative options are carried out,' she explained. The plan is part of a formal government consultation, but SWAN and the Rivers Trust say the process has been confusing, inaccessible, and difficult for communities to engage with. Both organisations are calling for the current consultation to be redesigned and reopened later when the 'required analysis' has been done, and as part of the development of the 4th Water Action Plan. The deputy director of the Rivers Trust, Dr. Constanze O'Toole said: 'The Rivers Trust has come together with SWAN because we share deep concerns about the lack of transparency and accessibility in this consultation process.' 'Environmental decisions must be based on clear data and local knowledge. Labelling rivers as 'heavily modified' has long-term consequences, so people deserve to see the evidence and understand the impact.' 'If we want strong, fair decisions about our rivers, we need open access to the facts, easier-to-understand consultations, and a real say for local communities in what happens to their water,' she added.
RTÉ News
24-04-2025
- Science
- RTÉ News
Volunteers wanted for annual survey of Irish rivers
The Rivers Trust is urging people from all over the island of Ireland to take part in their annual river survey. The Big River Watch Survey takes place from Friday 25 April to Thursday 1 May. Over that week, the trust is asking people to observe a local river, lough of stream and record their findings on their free app. The app will prompt the user to answer questions about what they can see and observe. No special knowledge is required. Speaking to RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Joanna Braniff, all-Ireland advocacy and communications manager of The Rivers Trust, said that the survey should take no longer than 15 minutes to complete. "There are loads of data gaps in river and waterbody knowledge throughout Ireland," Ms Braniff said. "We want to get a broader picture of our rivers," she added. Unlike in Britain, where there is live monitoring on many freshwater bodies, this is not the case in Ireland. The biodiversity crisis, as well as increased blue-green algae blooms and pollution incidents, means that the need for data on freshwater bodies is increasing, Ms Braniff has said. "There is a gap in the story right now and we're asking the public to step-up," Ms Braniff said. People can complete as many surveys as they like in the app in as many places along the same freshwater body or a different body. "You never step in the same river twice," Ms Braniff said. "A small pollution incident could only be visible for 15 minutes, so there is no upper limit on how many times even the one area could be surveyed." This is the third year the Big River Watch Survey is running in Ireland. The Rivers Trust is hoping for 250 data points to come from Ireland in this year's survey. Last year, there were around 200 from the island of Ireland and around 3,000 from Britain. The Big River Watch app can be downloaded on both Android and iOS. The app itself is always live so people can submit data to it year-round and all the data gathered from the survey is publicly available for anyone to use.
