Pollution

Seventy-six beaches across the UK have been awarded the Blue Flag Award for 2025. (Photo: NationalWorld/Kim Mogg)

Best UK beaches to visit that have been handed Blue Flag Award

Holidaymakers have been banned from swimming at two beaches in Playa Las Americas, in the south of Tenerife. (Photo: AFP via Getty Images)

Holidaymakers banned from swimming at beaches in Canary Islands

Today (April 22) marks the 55th anniversary of Earth Day, celebrated around the world under the theme “Our Power, Our Planet.”

World celebrates Earth Day

Water companies in England recorded 2,487 pollution incidents last year – more than double the target set by the Environment Agency, according to campaigners. (Photo: Getty Images)

'Reform needed' as over 2,000 water pollution incidents in 2024

London's newest road tunnel, Silvertown Tunnel, has opened to the public, connecting areas north and south of the River Thames. (Photo: TfL)

£2.2bn tunnel opens in London to end traffic chaos

NW FRONT_27-03-25_LANDSCAPE

Sewage spilled into England’s waters for more than 3.61m hours in 2024

Rower Georgie Brayshaw calls on government to tackle river pollution

(Photo: Pexels)

The laws around log burners that could land you with a criminal record

Live map shows areas of recent sewage spills in England.

Watch: Live map shows areas of recent sewage spills in England

Locals have raised fears over the hundreds of old boats abandoned on rivers and harbours in Prince William’s Duchy of Cornwall estate.

Prince William wades into abandoned boats blight on Duchy of Cornwall

Household water bills in England and Wales will increase by an average £31 a year over the next five years, regulator Ofwat has announced. (Photo: Rui Vieira/PA Wire)

Water bills to rise by £31 a year from April

Fierce sewage campaigner, Feargal Sharkey, has challenged the CEO of Thames Water to drink a glass of water from the River Brent. (Photo: Getty Images)

Feargal Sharkey challenges Thames Water CEO to drink river water

A Boxing Day swimming event at a UK beach, that brings in thousands of spectators, has been cancelled because of poor water quality. (Photo: Getty Images)

Popular Boxing Day swim at UK beach cancelled over pollution

Barrels though to contain tar or bitumen dumped during the 1920s at Nightingale Valley in Bristol.

House with 100-year-old toxic waste dump sells for £450k

Experts commented that it was 'remarkable' that neither of them had died in the powerful explosion.

Footage shows moment gas tank explodes and is catapulted into the air

Santander X UK Awards 2024 first prize winners Anushka Mahesh, Sarah Bailey, Aurusha Kharas and Tom Scrope

Entrepreneurs win award for tackling period poverty with £4 underwear

Nine water companies have been blocked from using customer cash to award bonuses worth £6.8m to executive.

Water companies blocked from using customer cash for £6.5m bonuses
Nine water companies have been prevented from using customer money to award their top bosses “undeserved” bonuses worth £6.8million.
Heather Carrick

Wessex Water has been fined £500,000 for polluting two rivers and killing thousands of fish. (Photo: Environment AgencySW/@EnvAgencySW on X)

UK water firm fined £500k after thousands of fish die

Wild swimming spots in England and Wales could be tested for dangerous bacteria all-year-round under new government plans. (Photo: Getty Images)

Wild swimming spots could get year-round water quality tests

Tens of thousands of cubic metres of untreated waste water, including sewage, was dumped into a UK river in 2023. (Photo: Adrian Pugh on Friends of The Cleddau Project Facebook group)

Water firm dumps thousands of litres of sewage into conservation area

TV presenter and environmentalist Chris Packham joined 15,000 protestors on the streets in central London demanding an end to sewage pollution. (Photo: Isabella Boneham)

TV presenter feels 'ripped off' and 'abused' by UK water firms

I joined a historic protest against sewage pollution and marched alongside thousands demanding an end to polluting for profit. (Photo: Isabella Boneham)

I joined a historic sewage pollution protest - start of a new momentum Isabella Boneham

Thousands marched in London

Thousands protest in 'historic' march against sewage

Activists are gearing up to flood the streets of central London in a “historic” protest against sewage pollution. (Photo: NationalWorld/Mark Hall/Getty Images)

Celebs gear up to join 'historic' sewage pollution protest in UK city

Southern Water has warned the public to “only put three Ps down the loo” as an unusual item has been blocking sewers. (Photo: NationalWorld/Kim Mogg)

UK water firm warns public to 'only put three Ps down the loo'

(Photos: Getty Images)

Water companies want to raise bills by 84% - as sewage spills continue

Bonuses to water company bosses rose this year to £9.1m despite record sewage discharges. (Photo: Getty Images)

Bonuses to water company CEOs rises - despite record sewage dumps

Video grab from heartbreaking footage showing 'waterfalls' of 3,000 bits of rubbish including drinks cans and Santa hats left by people on Mount Snowdon.

'Waterfall' of rubbish cascades down Mt Snowdon in heartbreaking video
Heartbreaking footage shows 'waterfalls' of 3,000 bits of rubbish including drinks cans and Santa hats left by people on Mount Snowdon.
Lucinda Herbert

Water firms in England and Wales have been ordered to return £157.6m to customers due to their poor performance. (Photo: Getty Images)

'A drop in the ocean': Anger as water firms to pay back 'only' £158m

Hundreds of fish were killed in the river

Fury: Water firm blames 'other sources' of pollution as 800 fish die

NationalWorld p1 Sep 24

We are paying for pollution and getting fleeced - it is disgusting Isabella Boneham

An annual charity sea swim at Lyme Regis beach in Dorset was forced to be cancelled over sewage concerns. (Photo: Getty Images)

Annual charity sea swim in UK town 'wiped out' over sewage

A pilot of a light aircraft spotted large amounts of brown-coloured water when flying over Southend seafront in Essex. (Photo: @YourSouthend on X/Mark Hutley)

'Disgusting' brown-coloured water spotted at popular UK beach

Locals and businesses in Exmouth are set to launch legal action against South West Water over sewage spills. (Photo: Sideshore Community Facebook page)

'We want our beach back': Locals to sue UK water firm over sewage

Jo Bateman, who started legal action against South West Water for dumping sewage, is now heading to Downing Street as she has “had enough”. (Photo: Jo Bateman)

'I've had enough': Woman suing UK water firm to head to Downing Street

South West Water has been slammed for bringing “immeasurable damage” to Exmouth town in damage following sewage spills. (Photo: Geoff Crawford/ESCAPE Facebook group)

Water firm slammed for 'damaging' UK town leaving locals 'anxious'

Sewage in Scotland’s rivers and beaches is far more widespread than realised as there have been thousands of undisclosed overflow incidents. (Photo: Getty Images)

'Grim' truth of Scotland's sewage crisis unveiled

Mum claims paddling in beauty spot left teen daughter 'violently sick'

Six beaches across Devon have been slapped with sewage alerts on Surfers Against Sewage interactive map. (Photo: Delphotostock/Adobe Stock)

Popular Devon beaches hit with sewage alerts

The swimming leg of a triathlon held on a popular UK beach has been cancelled due to concerns over sewage. (Photo: Getty Images)

Triathlon swimming leg at UK beach cancelled over sewage fears

Swimmers have been urged to avoid 19 beaches across the UK due to serious health concerns. (Photo: Andrew - stock.adobe.com)

Warning to avoid 19 UK beaches

A new study has named and shamed the UK’s top 10 dirtiest beaches that have high levels of contamination. (Photo: Kim Mogg/NationalWorld)

UK's most polluted beaches mapped

Underwater filmmaker Mark Barrow has found “more and more” disposable vapes in UK rivers prompting him to ask “have we lost all our pride and love for the natural world?”. (Photo: Mark Barrow/Beneath British Waters - Our Freshwater Planet)

Vapes plaguing UK rivers

Fierce sewage campaigner Feargal Sharkey has announced a new date for a sewage pollution protest named ‘March for Clean Water’. (Photo: Isabella Boneham / NationalWorld)

Feargal Sharkey announces new date for sewage pollution protest

People have fallen ill after visiting Exmouth beach in Devon which was hit by a major sewage spill after a sewer pipe burst. (Photo: Geoff Crawford)

People fall ill after visiting UK beach

Local businesses in Exmouth, Devon, have told NationalWorld how they have been “hugely impacted” by sewage spills. (Photos: Red Rock Leisure Limited)

Businesses at UK beach 'call for compensation' after sewage spill

A movement to “stop paying water bills” is being considered in a town in Devon after a major sewage spill - as locals have “had enough”. (Photos: Geoff Crawford/ESCAPE, End Sewage Convoys And Pollution Exmouth)

'Emotions high' as campaign brews to 'stop paying water bills'

The Environment Agency has issued an update on its course of action after a major sewage spill at Exmouth beach in Devon. (Photo: Jack Taylor/Getty Images)

'Legal approach considered' after sewage spill at UK beach

South West Water has issued an update on the major sewage spill that plagued popular Exmouth beach in Devon. (Photo: Maciej Olszewski - stock.adobe.com)

Water firm issues update on major sewage spill at popular UK beach

Lanzarote has issued a rare “black alert” for UK holidaymakers on one of its most popular beaches. (Photo: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire)

Lanzarote issues ‘black alert’

Multiple Olympic triathletes have been hospitalised after swimming in the River Seine. (Photo: AFP via Getty Images)

Olympic athletes hospitalised after swimming session

Gary Hough, 62, looks up to the skies outside his home surrounded in seagull

'Horrified' residents invaded by 'apocalyptic' swarm of seagulls

The men and women's Olympic triathlons will be allowed take place after tests showed the River Seine is now clean enough for competition. (Photo: AFP via Getty Images)

Olympic event to go ahead as River Seine passes tests

The men’s Olympic triathlon has been postponed due to high pollution levels in the River Seine. (Photo: AFP via Getty Images)

Olympic event postponed over pollution

Steve Reed has confirmed that water bosses will face criminal charges over sewage dumping. (Photo: NationalWorld/Mark Hall)

Boring and weak from Reed as water bosses 'to face' criminal charges Isabella Boneham

A Paris Olympics triathlon training event has been cancelled due to unsafe levels of pollution in the River Seine. (Photo: AFP via Getty Images)

Olympic triathlon event cancelled over pollution

Over 40 UK beaches, including popular hotspots Fistral and Weston-super-Mare, have been slapped with sewage alerts ahead of nice weather this weekend.

43 UK beaches slapped with sewage alerts ahead of weekend sunshine