Thousands take legal action over ‘widespread pollution’ of three UK rivers | Rivers
Nearly 4,000 people in England and Wales are facing legal action over what they claim is six years of sewage pollution that has devastated three rivers, including the Wye.
In the largest environmental group action in recent times, 3,943 residents and business owners are seeking significant damages from Wales Water and leading chicken producers Avara Foods Ltd and Freemans of Newent Ltd, claiming they are responsible for “extensive and widespread pollution” in the Wye, Bago and USK.
The group wants to order a court to order remedial actions to clean up rivers that should be protected for their importance to rare wildlife, including otters, freshwater pearl mussels and Atlantic salmon.
Oliver Holland, Leigh Day’s international and group claims partner, who handled the case, said: “We see this legal claim as the culmination of an extraordinary effort by local community members and campaign groups to investigate, monitor and defend their rivers.
“Plaintiffs have watched their rivers become the subject of national press coverage, public campaigns, parliamentary debates and government commitments. Formally embarking on this legal action is a concrete step towards protecting these vital national ecosystems.”
The companies sued – Avara Foods, Newent and Welsh Juice Freemans – all deny the claim.
The Guardian recently revealed how pollution from chicken farms is devastating rivers including the Wye. A quarter of Britain’s poultry production, 23 million chickens, are raised in the river’s catchment area.
Sewage and pollution from poultry manure cause high concentrations of phosphorus and nitrogen in rivers, causing significant growth of algae that cuts off oxygen, suffocates fish and harms fauna, leading to the deaths of key species.
The lead plaintiff in the case, Justine Evans, a wildlife filmmaker who has lived in the Wye area since 2012, said the river was once a beautiful place that many people enjoyed. He said: “This connection is something that should be nurtured, but instead it is being shattered by the deteriorating condition of the river.
“My relationship with the river has completely changed in recent years, to the point where I no longer feel comfortable in it. It’s scary to think about what happens to the wildlife that is at home. Children grow up seeing the river because they see it, but not what rivers are supposed to look like.”
The WYE’s plight has become a symbol of weak rivers in England and Wales suffering from a toxic cocktail of pollution from sewage and agricultural runoff. No river in England is in a good biological and chemical state as a result of pollution. Salmon, a leading indicator of river health, have been devastated on the Wye, with catches the worst on record from the last five seasons.
