» Pollution



Why are we killing the Wye, and when will we stop?

Pollution in the Upper River Wye catchment : The Causes and Lessons for Campaigners working in other UK River Catchments. Authors: Brian Morgan, Stephen Eades and David Levy – all Marinet members Introduction The river Wye and its tributaries are in serious trouble. The main cause is the intensive farming of chickens and their manure, spread […]

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Deep ocean mining will destroy vital new medicines, say scientists

The Guardian reports, 20th May 2019: When Prof Mat Upton discovered a microbe from a deep-sea sponge was killing pathogenic bugs in his laboratory, he realised it could be a breakthrough in the fight against antibiotic resistant superbugs, which are responsible for thousands of deaths a year in the UK alone. Further tests last year confirmed that an […]

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Toxic chemicals in sunscreen creams cause major damage to coral reefs and ocean life

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) website reports: Common chemicals used in thousands of products to protect against harmful effects of ultraviolet light threaten corals and other marine life. Healthy coral reefs are one of the most valuable ecosystems on Earth. They provide billions of dollars in economic and environmental services, such as food, coastal […]

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New fish farms in Iceland risk decimating wild salmon populations

The Guardian reports, 19th April 2019: A five-fold expansion in open-net fish farms that scientists believe could decimate Iceland’s wild salmon stocks is pitting Big Aquaculture against ecologists in the country (Iceland). Next month, a parliamentary bill is expected to extend farm licenses from 10 to 16 years, while omitting critics from oversight panels and […]

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Seahorse Trust seeking a judicial review of decision to drill for oil in Poole Bay

The Seahorse Trust reports, March 2019: The Seahorse Trust (through its Director Neil Garrick-Maidment FBNA) is challenging the Secretary of State’s decision to allow drilling for oil in Poole Bay, Dorset without proper environmental impact assessment of the proposal. The Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy authorised Corallian Energy Limited to drill […]

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Plastic particles found in every dolphin, seal and whale in British waters

ScienceDaily reports, 31st January 2019: Microplastics have been found in the guts of every marine mammal examined in a new study of animals washed up on Britain’s shores. Researchers from the University of Exeter and Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) examined 50 animals from 10 species of dolphins, seals and whales — and found microplastics (less […]

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Campaign against new offshore coal mine near Sellafield continues

The campaign “Keep Cumbrian Coal in the Hole” has issued the following press release, 27th January 2019. (click on pages to enlarge) The e-mail link above is email hidden; JavaScript is required The website link above is www.onr.org.uk/depz.htm The website links above are https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2018/12/30/murray-energys-crandall-canyon-coal-mine-disaster-9-deaths www.channel4.com/news/why-the-dutch-are-ditching-gas-extraction The link to the petition is https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/keep-cumbrian-coal-in-the-hole-its-too-near-sellafield  

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Anti-depressant pharmaceuticals are damaging marine life

Phsy.org reports, 8th October 2018: A huge rise in the number of people taking antidepressant drugs is potentially posing a threat to the environment, according to new research. An expert in the effects of human waste on marine life and an expert in ethical pharmacology, both at the University of Portsmouth, are calling for prescribers […]

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Boyan Slat’s plastic waste Ocean Cleanup commences, not without criticism

Sciencemag.org reports, 11th September 2018: A high-profile and controversial effort to collect and haul away plastic trash in the ocean is finally going to sea. A massive tugboat left San Francisco Bay this weekend, pulling a long sinuous boom constructed by The Ocean Cleanup, a non-profit organisation based in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The device, which […]

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Nearly 50% of plastic in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch comes from fishing

Nature.com publishes an article by L. Lebreton et al, 22nd March 2018, titled Evidence that the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is rapidly accumulating plastic. The authors state: Ocean plastic can persist in sea surface waters, eventually accumulating in remote areas of the world’s oceans. Here we characterise and quantify a major ocean plastic accumulation zone […]

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Wastewater from fracking will be discharged to sea

The Guardian reports, 15th June 2016: A UK shale gas company is considering dumping waste water from fracking in the sea, emails from the company show.            Ineos, which owns the Grangemouth refinery and holds 21 shale licences, many in the north-west, North Yorkshire and the east Midlands, has said it wants to become the biggest […]

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Marinet Special : Plastic in the Ocean

Awareness is growing of the huge, grave problem that plastic pollution of the ocean has created. We provide here a selection of articles and research reports published during the last 12 months (2017) which cover this “environmental crisis”, now considered by many to be as serious as climate change. These articles address not just the […]

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Plastic pollutes islands in the Arctic circle

The Guardian reports 16th June 2017: Beaches on remote Arctic islands are heavily polluted with plastic, a new expedition has found, demonstrating that the region is the dumping ground for waste carried northwards on the Gulf Stream. The shorelines of the Norwegian islands in the Svalbard archipelago and of Jan Mayen island were found to […]

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Plastic pollutes remote uninhabited Pacific island

The Guardian reports, 15th May 2017: One of the world’s most remote places, an uninhabited coral atoll, is also one of its most polluted. Henderson Island, a tiny landmass in the eastern South Pacific, has been found by marine scientists to have the highest density of anthropogenic debris recorded anywhere in the world, with 99.8% […]

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“Plastic pollution is a crisis comparable to climate change”, say US scientists

The Guardian reports 19th July 2017: Humans have produced 8.3bn tonnes of plastic since the 1950s with the majority ending up in landfill or polluting the world’s continents and oceans, according to a new report. The first global analysis of all mass–produced plastics has found that it has outstripped most other man-made materials, threatening a […]

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4 Views on the Ocean Plastic problem, and possible solutions

We provide here a summary of 4 perspectives on the problem of ocean plastic pollution, and the solutions and difficulties which they foresee. They are:   Artists Project Earth and their Report and Campaign, 2017: Solutions for Ocean Plastics and Agenda for Action, by Prof. Edward Kosior and Irene Crescenzi. Algalita Marine Research Foundation, and […]

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UK Parliament Committee recommends deposit return scheme for plastic bottles

House of Commons Environment Audit Committee news release, 22nd December 2017: The Environmental Audit Committee calls for the introduction of a UK-wide deposit return scheme for plastic bottles, a requirement to provide free drinking water in public premises, and to make producers financially responsible for the plastic packaging they produce. Read the report summary Read […]

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Zero-emission vessels may enter shipping fleets by 2030

The Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (ImarEST) reports 12th December 2017: Lloyd’s Register (LR) and University Maritime Advisory Services have released a study that aims to demonstrate the viability of zero-emission vessels (ZEVs) and identify how they will become a competitive option for decarbonisation. According to the report, ZEVs will need to begin […]

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Discovery of marine fungus which “eats” plastic

Actionhub.com reports, 5th July 2017: Researchers from the University of Aveiro, Portugal, have discovered a form of marine fungus that degrades plastic, meaning it can potentially be used to combat pollution. There’s never been a time in which humans have been producing more plastic than now and unfortunately, tons of this ends up in our […]

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UK Government to explore taxation as a means of preventing plastic pollution of the ocean

Letsrecycle.com reports, 22nd November 2017: Chancellor Philip Hammond has announced plans to investigate how the tax system and charges on single-use plastic items can reduce waste. Following the announcement in the chancellor’s Autumn Budget statement, 22nd November, HM Treasury confirmed the government will launch “a call for evidence in early 2018 on how the tax […]

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