Sunday, August 21, 2022

The sewage in our rivers and on our beaches is a direct consequence of Brexit


Here's Andrew Adonis writing in October of last year:

Brexit is causing the treatment of sewage to regress from its already poor level. The Environment Agency, which lays down the rules on sewage treatment, has just issued emergency guidance exempting water companies and other undertakings from requirements to treat waste water where they can’t procure the necessary chemicals. 

Its new regulations on "water and sewerage company effluent discharges: supply side failures" begin: "You may not be able to comply with your permit if you cannot get the chemicals you use to treat the effluent you discharge because of the UK’s new relationship with the EU." 

So the "supply chain crisis" isn't only closing petrol stations and emptying supermarket shelves. It is now leading to raw sewage being pumped into rivers and coastal waters where that didn't happen before. 

This was widely reported at the time time Adonis was writing, so it's not clear why it has taken everyone by surprise this week.

Still, it's a good campaign and has the potential to hurt the Conservatives, so let's keep the pressure up.

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