Pollution

Dozens fall ill with ‘severe vomiting’ and ‘diarrhoea’ after triathlon. (Photo: Getty Images for IRONMAN)

Dozens fall ill with ‘severe vomiting’ and ‘diarrhoea’ after triathlon

CEO of failing water company challenged to drink a glass of sewage. (Photo: Southern Water Facebook account)

CEO of failing water company challenged to drink a glass of sewage

‘Clueless’ water companies refunding £114m slammed as ‘just a sweetener’. (Photo: Emily Whitfield-Wicks/PA Wire)

‘Clueless’ water firms refunding £114m slammed as ‘just a sweetener’

Water companies to pay back £114m to customers after ‘falling short’. (Photo: AFP via Getty Images)

Water companies to pay back £114m to customers after ‘falling short’

Floating loos spotted on UK river send ‘clear’ message on social media. (Photo: Screenshot of Tweet from Mark Barrow on X (@UnderwaterMedia))

Floating loos spotted on UK river send ‘clear’ message on social media

‘Disgusting’ treated sewage with ‘sweetcorn’ spotted in River Thames. (Photo: Ashley Smith, Windrushwasp.org.)

‘Disgusting’ treated sewage with ‘sweetcorn’ spotted in River Thames

Like to swim in treated sewage water? Well, let’s see it Cathryn Ross. (Photo: NationalWorld/Mark Hall/PA)

Like to swim in treated sewage water? Well, let’s see it Cathryn Ross Isabella Boneham

Warning not to swim at 34 popular UK beaches over poor water quality. (Photo: Getty Images)

Warning not to swim at 29 popular UK beaches over poor water quality

Greenpeace collaborated with Rumpus Animation to produce 'Sanctuary' an animated story of three sea creatures seeking safer waters (Greenpeace/Rumpus Animation)

UK urged to use new treaty power to turn Sargasso Sea into sanctuary

Researchers at Utility Bidder said Jersey airport has the highest carbon footprint in the UK. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

Top 10 UK airports with highest CO2 footprint revealed

The Office for Environmental Protection has identified possible failures to comply with environmental law by three public authorities. (Photo: NationalWorld/Kim Mogg)

Sewage laws broken? So are the shoddy authorities tasked to regulate Isabella Boneham

Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary arrives at Portcullis House in central London on March 22, 2023.

Ryanair boss ‘pelted with pies’ outside European Commission HQ

‘Disgusting’ UK water firms ‘must be investigated’ over dry spills. (Photo: Getty Images)

‘Disgusting’ UK water firms ‘must be investigated’ over dry spills

Protesters against the ULEZ, which will charge the most emitting vehicles to drive in London. Credit: Kim Mogg/Getty/Adobe

Ignore the noisy minority around ULEZ - London needs to clean its air Ralph Blackburn

No family should be swimming in sewage over bank holiday, say Lib Dems. (Photo: Getty Images)

No family should be swimming in sewage over bank holiday, say Lib Dems

A map showing the location of wildfires across North America (Image: FIRMS US/Canada)

Explainer Where are the wildfires in Canada? Maps show latest air quality

‘Crucial’ full health check of England’s rivers not taken since 2019. (Photo: Getty Images)

‘Crucial’ full health check of England’s rivers not taken since 2019

Triathletes get diarrhoea after ‘swimming in s**t’ off UK coast. (Photo: Getty Images for IRONMAN)

Triathletes get diarrhoea after ‘swimming in s**t’ off UK coast

‘It’s a disgrace’ 1 in 4 swimmers avoiding the sea over sewage spills. (Photo: AFP via Getty Images)

‘It’s a disgrace’ 1 in 4 swimmers avoiding the sea over sewage spills

The River Seine (LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP via Getty Images)

Parisians can swim in the River Seine for the first time in 100 years

The government has been criticised for delaying packaging reforms, which it claims will help drive down inflation (Photo: Ian Lean/SAS/PA Wire)

Government 'letting polluters off the hook' over pollution reform delay

For the most part, ULEZ and CAZ policies are achieving what they are supposed to. (Picture: NationalWorld/Adobe Stock/Getty)

What health problems can be caused by air pollution?

Amsterdam has banned cruise ships from the city centre to limit the number of tourists (Photo: Adobe)

Amsterdam imposes cruise ship ban to restrict number of tourists

Yorkshire Water slammed as ‘immoral’ after £235k paid to charity over sewage spill. (Photo: Getty Images)

UK water firm ‘immoral’ for paying £235k to charity over sewage spill

Five UK water firms rated two stars as pollution incidents ‘remain too high’. (Photo: Getty Images)

‘Unacceptable’: Five out of nine UK water firms given two star rating

Welsh Water issues ‘sorry’ statement as pollution incidents increase. (Photo: Getty Images)

Welsh Water ‘sorry’ for 89 sewage pollution incidents

‘Doubts’ water firms will face unlimited fines over sewage spills. (Photo: Mark Barrow - Beneath British Waters)

‘Doubts’ water firms will face unlimited fines over sewage spills

Thames Water misses targets on sewage leaks due to ‘ageing’ network. (Photo: Getty Images)

Thames Water misses targets on sewage leaks due to ‘ageing’ network

Water industry ‘muddied’ as Thames Water recruits ex-CEO of Ofwat. (Photo: NationalWorld/Kim Mogg/Thames Water)

Water industry ‘muddied’ as Thames Water recruits ex-CEO of Ofwat

Cornwall is UK’s worst region for sewage spills, report says. (Photo: AFP via Getty Images)

Cornwall is UK’s worst region for sewage spills, report says

Thames Water secures £750m funding after fears of collapse over debt. (Photo: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire)

Thames Water secures £750m funding after fears of collapse over debt

Water firms released raw sewage in UK waters ‘over 300,000 times last year’. (Photo: AFP via Getty Images)

Water firms released raw sewage ‘over 300,000 times last year’

Water firm accused of ‘killing rivers’ making children ill ‘every week’. (Photo: Henley Mermaids)

Thames Water accused of ‘killing rivers’ and making kids ill ‘weekly’

Water boss to get potential pay rise despite promise to shun bonuses. (Photo: Thames Water)

Water boss to get potential pay rise despite promise to shun bonuses

Thames Water ‘must clean up their act’ as millions ‘have suffered’. (Photo: Getty Images)

Thames Water ‘must clean up their act’ as millions ‘have suffered’

Water bills could rise by extra £680 per year to help cover sewage repairs. (Photo: Getty Images)

Water bills could rise by extra £680 to help cover sewage repairs

The water industry has been under widespread pressure from the public and the government to stop dumping sewage. Image: NationalWorld

Every sewage spill in England and Wales in 4 key maps

‘Do not swim’ warning at 8 UK beaches as raw sewage spills into sea. (Photo: Getty Images)

‘Do not swim’ warning at 8 UK beaches as sewage spills into sea

Harrowing image of a donkey desperately scavenging for food

Heartbreaking footage shows impact of plastic pollution on animals

Hiking bills to foot sewer upgrades is scandalous given cost of living. (Photo: NationalWorld/Kim Mogg/Adobe Stock)

Hiking bills to foot sewer upgrades is scandalous given cost of living

Sewage alerts at 11 UK beaches as public warned ‘don’t swim in sea’. (Photo: AFP via Getty Images)

Sewage alerts at 11 UK beaches as public warned ‘don’t swim in sea’

Water firm slammed as ‘disgrace’ as it considers 79% bill hike by 2030. (Photo: Nicholas.T.Ansell/PA Wire)

Southern Water considers increasing bills 79% by 2030

Water boss blames wild swimming for highlighting UK’s sewage problem. (Photo: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire)

Water boss blames public use of rivers for highlighting sewage problem

Beachgoers warned sea could turn ‘yellow or green’ at popular seaside spot. (Photo: Delphotostock/Adobe Stock)

Devon beachgoers warned sea may soon turn ‘yellow or green’

High pollution alert triggered in UK as warnings issued amid 27C weather. (Photo: AFP via Getty Images)

High pollution alert triggered for London amid 27C weather

Customers boycott wastewater bills over ‘shocking’ sewage pollution. (Photo: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire)

Customers boycott wastewater bills over ‘shocking’ sewage pollution

Drugs, pesticides and medicine found in seawater off UK coast. (Photo: Clean Harbours Partnership)

Drugs, pesticides and medicine found in seawater off UK coast

New York flights could be delayed due to thick smoke shrouding the city (Photo: Getty Images)

New York airports issue flight warning as thick smoke clouds skyline

Less than 10% of emergency overflows are monitored for sewage spills. (Photo: Getty Images)

Less than 10% of emergency overflows monitored for sewage spills

‘Don’t swim’ warning at popular Devon beach after sewage pipe leak. (Photo: Getty Images)

‘Don’t swim’ warning at popular Devon beach after sewage pipe leak

Severn Trent admits it should’ve ‘acted faster’ over sewage spills. (Photo: Emily Whitfield-Wicks/PA Wire)

Severn Trent admits it should’ve ‘acted faster’ over sewage spills

Public having to protest sewage dumping in UK waters is atrocious. (Photo: Getty Images)

We shouldn’t have to protest for clean seas - water firms, be ashamed Isabella Boneham

A member of Dutch activist group 'Milieudefensie' holds a placard while demonstrating outside ExCeL, in London, during the multinational oil and gas company Shell Annual General Meeting on 23 May 2023 (Photo: DANIEL LEAL/AFP via Getty Images)

Protesters disrupt Shell board meeting demanding action on emissions

More than 80% of UK rivers and lakes contain toxic ‘forever chemicals’. (Photo: NationalWorld/Kim Mogg/Adobe Stock)

More than 80% of UK rivers and lakes contain toxic ‘forever chemicals’

Sewage campaigners warned not to swim in sea due to ‘poor quality’. (Photo: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire)

Sewage campaigners warned not to swim in sea due to ‘poor quality’

Warning over nationwide anti-sewage protests after ‘pathetic’ apology. (Photo: Isabella Boneham)

Warning over nationwide anti-sewage protests after ‘pathetic’ apology