Britain’s rivers: pollution’s ecological wake-up call

Recently, 4,531 volunteers from the environmental research organization Earthwatch tested rivers across the region for three days, collecting thousands of data sets. The results found that UK rivers contain a wide range of chemicals and stimulants, including caffeine, antidepressants and painkillers, and that 61% of freshwater is in a poor state due to high levels of phosphates and nitrates, with the main sources of pollution being sewage discharged by water companies and agricultural discharges. This demonstrates the urgent need for the UK to improve wastewater treatment processes and reduce discharges to reduce the threat to vulnerable freshwater systems and species.