Pollution storm

AS THE Marine Conservation Society’s pollution programme manager I have read with some interest reports on the alleged pollution of certain Scottish bathing waters with sewage.

It is true that at a number of beaches around the United Kingdom coastline discharges from combined sewer overflows still present an unacceptable risk to human health.

We are working hard with the water industry and environmental regulators in order to improve bathing water quality so that it meets at least the minimum European legal standards.

However, in the case of the specific Scottish beaches that have been the focus of the aforementioned articles, we are satisfied with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) view that the vast majority of the failures that have been recorded to date have been due to diffuse pollution, which is generally animal waste that has been washed off farmland by rain into nearby streams and rivers – particularly during the recent heavy storms.

MCS, Scottish Water, Sepa, Scottish Natural Heritage, the farming community and the Scottish Government must work much more closely together in order to reduce the scale of this problem.

Dr Robert Keirle

Pollution Programme Manager, Marine Conservation Society