More than a quarter of boroughs in England have pollution levels that are harmful to wildlife, new data shows.
Friends of the Earth has named 27.5 percent of the areas as “nature pollution hotspots” in a new study. These places are defined as places where air, water, noise and light pollution all exceed levels that are harmful to nature.
Chelsea and Fulham were identified as the parliamentary constituencies with the highest concentrations of pollution hotspots, followed by Salford, Worsley and Eccles, Vauxhall and Camberwell and Battersea.
The research found that 9,062 out of 32,844 neighborhoods in England, areas of around 1,500 people designated for statistical purposes such as the national census, are pollution hotspots.
One of every six species in England, which is one of the most deprived countries in the world, is in danger of extinction. Wildlife in many areas is struggling for survival due to chemical pollution, spread of pesticides, sewage discharge, air pollution and light pollution.
Since Brexit, fewer toxic chemicals have been banned in the UK than in the EU, and the UK allows more types of toxic pesticides than the EU. Water pollution laws are also being relaxed.
Sewage and slurry pollution in rivers increases nutrient levels, which leads to overgrowth of algae and plants and suffocates aquatic species. Pesticides and chemicals poured into rivers also kill and harm fish and invertebrates.
Air pollution, including nitrogen dioxide from car engines, threatens Britain’s native plant life, affecting almost two-thirds of species. These fumes can reduce the bees’ ability to detect scent by up to 90% from several meters away, making it difficult to follow the path of flowers.
Light pollution affects bats and moths because it is harder to stay away from the light of businesses that keep their lights on all night and street lights. These lights can also confuse migrating birds.
Friends of the Earth are calling on the Labor Government to step in and enshrine the right to a healthy environment in an Environmental Bill of Rights. The proposed law would allow communities to hold regulators and public bodies accountable for reducing pollution.
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Sina Summers, a nature campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said: “Successive governments have failed to protect our environment from pollution and ensure people can continue to enjoy the health and wellness benefits of a thriving nature. That’s why we’ve ranked pollution hotspots by constituency, so citizens and MPs alike can see how pollution is affecting their local area and take action.
“While we can avoid these polluted waters, many precious species cannot avoid the pollution we pump into their living quarters.
Polluters should be held accountable for the damage they cause and forced to clean it up. “Stronger laws to hold polluters accountable also empower communities to defend our rights in court and create a cleaner, healthier environment for wildlife and people alike.”