Join us for the WI Week of River Action
Microplastics are polluting our rivers, farmland, and food. The sewage crisis is a big part of the problem. WI members are making waves for our waters once again in the third annual WI Week of River Action, calling for bold, urgent measures to stop microplastics at the source and prevent toxic sludge from being quietly spread across our countryside.
We’ve been campaigning on water pollution for nearly 100 years, and we’re deeply concerned about the growing evidence that sewage — both raw and treated — is a major pathway for microplastics and other harmful substances to enter nature and the food chain.
Treated sewage doesn’t mean safe sewage. Even when wastewater reaches treatment plants, microplastics and other pollutants don’t just disappear. They’re largely retained in sewage sludge, which is then spread onto farmland. Without regulation or regular testing in place, we urgently need much more information and transparency about what is in the sludge.
We welcome the Independent Water Commission’s recent report and the government’s promises to clean up our rivers. But tonnes of microplastics are still being pumped into nature every day. We cannot afford to wait for the water industry to get its act together; we need both mid- and long-term solutions.
Join us between 29 September and 5 October to call for:
- Tighter testing and regulation of sewage sludge;
- mandatory microplastic washing machine filters; and,
- Extended Producer Responsibility for synthetic textiles
Check out our updated Week of River Action toolkit on MyWI and get ready to join your fellow members in making waves for Clean Rivers this autumn!
Don’t forget to tell us about your plans, to inspire other members and a chance to be featured in WI Life!