Tag: pollution

Choudhury: “Edinburgh deserves  clean beaches, not sewage scandals” 

Newly revealed figures have highlighted the scale of sewage pollution in Scotland, with 165  spills recorded at the Seafield sewage treatment works in Edinburgh last year. These spills  resulted in partially treated sewage being discharged into the sea for a total of 890 hours,  raising serious concerns about environmental protection and public health. 

Managed by the French utility company Veolia under a Private Finance Initiative (PFI)  agreement with Scottish Water, Seafield is one of nine sewage sites operating under similar  contracts.

Across these facilities, more than 500 sewage overflows were reported in 2023,  amounting to a total of 3,500 hours of discharge. Major spillages were also recorded at  locations such as Newbridge, Blackburn, Whitburn, and East Calder. 

Scottish Labour MSP for the Lothian Region, Foysol Choudhury, has called for urgent action  to address the ageing infrastructure and improve oversight of sewage discharges. 

MSP Choudhury said: “The scale of sewage pollution in Scotland is unacceptable.  Communities across the country, including here in Edinburgh, deserve clean beaches, rivers,  and waterways.

“The current system is failing, and this must change.” 

Mr. Choudhury has seen the Seafield site become a source of concern for residents,  particularly after the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) issued a warning in July 2023 advising against swimming at Portobello Beach due to high bacteria levels.  

In May 2024, residents were encouraged to report odour and noise issues from Seafield via  the Leith Links Community Council’s online nuisance report form to ensure complaints are  sent directly to elected officials, including MSPs and councillors, to keep the pressure on to  address these longstanding problems. 

Choudhury said: “The Seafield Sewage Treatment Works has exposed local Leithers  to a series of appalling odour and sewage leaks. What impact does this have  on the local environment like the Water of Leith and the Forth?” 

“Scotland’s beaches and waterways are among our most  cherished natural assets. It’s not enough for operators to claim compliance with licenses— people deserve transparency and action to safeguard our environment and health.” 

ACCOUNTABILITY FOR PFI CONTRACTS 

The Seafield plant and others like it are managed under PFI contracts, but MSP Choudhury has questioned whether this model delivers for communities. In the Highlands, a PFI sewage  plant has already been brought back under public control following the expiration of its  contract.

Foysul Choudhury continues to raise questions and engage with local communities to demand  greater accountability from operators and stronger action from the Scottish Government when it comes to polluting Scotland’s waterways. 

LOOKING AHEAD 

The PFI contract for Seafield is due to expire in 2029, at which point the plant will revert to  public control under Scottish Water. Mr. Choudhury hopes that this transition is used as an  opportunity to overhaul the system, upgrade facilities, and end the cycle of sewage spills  polluting Scotland’s rivers and beaches.

A spokesperson for Veolia responded: “We operate the Seafield Waste Water Treatment works in line with the SEPA licence conditions and everything that leaves the plant has been treated. 

“Even during significant rainfall, the works are designed and operated to ensure all wastewater goes through our screening, grit removal and settlement processes before being discharged. 

“We work with the local community, SEPA and Scottish Water to provide an effective service for residents and the environment and support continuous improvement works. We have a doors open policy where members of the public, councillors, MPs and MSPs can visit the site.”

At the Seafield Wastewater Treatment Plant, there is only one exit point of the plant with two outfalls. This is where final effluent (fully treated wastewater) leaves the facility.

In times of significant rainfall, contents from the settled storm overflow or settled primary overflow tanks would also be discharged from this point.

These discharges are licensed and only take place under significant rainfall events in full accordance with the site’s licence.. All discharges are treated to some extent and no raw sewage is discharged from the plant.

These should not be classed as “dumping events”. Storm discharges are continuously monitored, and the data shared with Scottish Water and SEPA

Veolia did operate a wastewater contract in the Highlands with Scottish Water and at the end of its contract period it transitioned back to Scottish Water as originally agreed after 25 years of successful service. This was not due to any inference of poor performance.

Veolia is required under the licence at Seafield to report data to SEPA and this has always been done in compliance with the licence.

As Veolia is a private company working with Scottish Water, our operations are sampled every day, which is more frequent than regulated water companies.

This is an additional level of scrutiny and gives greater assurances that we are compliant with our SEPA licence.

Keep Scotland Beautiful: Upstream Battle report published

The first national volunteer survey of litter found by Scottish rivers and waterways has revealed that plastic bottles were the most littered item, followed by plastic pieces, plastic snack packets, drinks cans and polystyrene pieces.

With 80% of marine litter coming from land, our Upstream Battle® campaign focuses on raising awareness, gathering evidence and inspiring action to change littering behaviour to prevent marine litter at source along rivers in Scotland.

The recently published Upstream Battle® Citizen Science Report – a snapshot of data gathered by volunteers across a three-month period between December 2023 and February 2024 – consists of 185 surveys conducted along 26 rivers and waterways in 20 local authority areas across Scotland. It forms part of the national rollout of the campaign, aimed at understanding and addressing marine litter across the country.

In total 20,383 items were counted during the survey period, with the majority of litter found to be items which would be addressed under a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) or effective Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations.

The rest of the top 10 items littered include cigarettes, glass fragments, dog poo, plastic bottle caps and plastic bags.

Barry Fisher, our Chief Executive, said: “On the back of an extremely successful Spring Clean, this report celebrates the efforts of many individuals and groups who took time out of their busy lives to carry out surveys and send data to us, providing us with much needed evidence of the range of items that are damaging our rivers and waterways.

“The data shows similarities across the country, but also highlights regional nuances – this report highlights the importance of understanding and addressing these issues at a national and local level.

“I’d like to thank everyone who supported this data drive, from our tireless volunteers to our partners and funders who have shared and echoed our message and vision.

“Scotland’s litter emergency is damaging our rivers. We need our governments to commit to tackling single-use packaging litter through improved Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations and to ensure a Deposit Return Scheme is not further delayed. These policy measures are needed now – litter levels will only get worse without them.”

Our Upstream Battle® campaign raises awareness of how litter from land travels from source to sea – becoming marine litter – and inspires people to take positive action.

Read the full report here or visit Upstream Battle | Keep Scotland Beautiful to learn more.

The top 10 littered items were: Plastic bottles (2,866); plastic pieces (2,490); snack packets (2,421); drinks cans (1,565); polystyrene pieces (1,507); cigarettes (1,185); glass fragments (850); dog poo (740), plastic bags (569); and plastic bottle caps (486).

ub-citizen-science-report-2024Download

SEPA serves £85,700 of civil penalties during 2023

Civil penalties totalling £85,700 have been served by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) in 2023 for breaches of environmental regulation.

They include 13 Fixed Monetary Penalties of either £300 or £600 for offences such as burning waste, breaches of water use licences, discharges of sewage effluent and failing to provide SEPA with copies of documents requested in a notice.

Also served this year were a £3,500 Variable Monetary Penalty for waste offences, and a £75,000 fine under F-gas regulations.

Jennifer Shearer, Head of Enforcement at SEPA, said: “Civil penalties are a vital part of our enforcement toolkit, providing a deterrence to those who choose to ignore Scotland’s environmental regulations. Enforcement action is a key part of our job as a regulator, ensuring we disrupt and take action against those who harm the environment, communities and legitimate businesses.

“We have a range of enforcement tools available to us depending on the scale and impact of offending including disruption activities, partnership activity with other regulators and authorities, final warning letters, statutory notices, licence suspensions, fixed and variable monetary penalties and reports to Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) We’re committed to being proportionate, consistent, accountable and transparent in our enforcement outcomes.”

Civil penalties

Civil penalties sit alongside other enforcement tools available to SEPA to use when appropriate in relation to environmental offending.

Details on all the FMPs and the VMP listed below are available on SEPA’s website at Penalties imposed and undertakings accepted | Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)

Fixed Monetary Penalties (FMPs)

SEPA can issue FMPs for a specified offence – they are not available for all offences. FMPs are normally appropriate where an offence has not caused environmental harm or has caused minimal environmental harm with no lasting environmental effects or impacts on communities, for administrative offences and where little (if any) financial benefit arises from the offence.

FMPs in 2023:

Six for disposing of controlled waste by burning, £600 each:

George Steel Contract Services Limited, Falkirk

Stella’s Voice, Cranfield

Ian Robert Munro, Alness

The Good House Company Scotland Limited, Kinross

Bradley Morgan, Kinross

The Firm of D & J Thomson, Aberfeldy

Two for breach of a water use licence relating to discharges of surface water from a construction site, £600 each:

Bellway Homes Limited, Newcastle Upon Tyne

Tough Construction Limited, Glasgow

Two for a discharge of sewage effluent to the water environment, £600 each:

Sands Caravan and Camping Limited, Wester Ross

Robert Main Ellen, Muir of Ord

One in each category as follows £300 each:

Anthony Barclay, Musselburgh – transporting controlled waste in the course of business, or otherwise with a view to profit, without a waste carrier licence.

GMR Henderson Builders Ltd, Wick – failure to complete waste transfer notes adequately.

Barry Bain, Inverness – failure to attend a compelled interview.

Variable Monetary Penalties (VMPs)

VMPs are discretionary financial penalties which SEPA can impose for a relevant offence following an appropriate investigation.

James Roberts Marshall, Perth £3,500 for allowing controlled waste to be disposed of by burial when no waste management licence was in place authorising the activity. He was also required to pay SEPA costs of £1,050.  

Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases Regulations 2015 (the F-Gas regulations 2015)
The F-gas regulations aim to reduce the use of HFC refrigerants, through better control of their containment in existing applications and their recovery for recycling or destruction.

DSM Nutritional Products (UK) Limited, Dalry £75,000 for failing to provide a leakage detection system on equipment containing powerful greenhouse gases that trap heat in the atmosphere and contribute to climate change.

Community group fights sewage pollution in Portobello

Scottish Water discharged sewage 58,304 times in the last 5 years from just 4% of overflows

The latest water quality report from Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) highlights a severe lack of accountability from Scottish Water.

  • Untreated sewage has been discharged by Scottish Water at least 14,008 times in 2022 alone.
  • Only 4% of Scottish Water’s 3,641 overflows are reported on, meaning these statistics are likely a huge underestimation.
  • Many popular bathing sites across Scotland, such as Portobello in Edinburgh, have no reporting whatsoever.
  • New Surfers Against Sewage Community Group will monitor water quality in Portobello area.
mike@mikeguest.co.uk

A new report released today by Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) emphasises Scotland’s sewage blind spot due to a lack of reporting by Scottish Water.

Analysis of EDM data by SAS found that untreated sewage has been released into Scottish rivers and seas at least 58,304 times over the last 5 years. However, just 161 out of the 3,641 sewage overflows in Scotland were reported on during this time period meaning this figure is a gross underestimation of reality, with the true number of discharges likely to be in the 100,000s.

Under 4% of sewage overflows in Scotland are required to be reported on, a stark contrast to England and Wales where nearly 100% are monitored. This leaves the Scottish public in the dark about the performance of the other 96% of overflows and the impact these are having on Scottish rivers and coastline.

The little data that is reported by Scottish Water is patchy, according to SAS. Three sewage overflows that previously were reported on annually are now only required to report during the bathing season due to the license agreement approved by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). Additionally, some overflows that were previously monitored now go entirely unreported and are labelled as having ‘no license requirement for reporting’.

mike@mikeguest.co.uk

Giles Bristow, CEO of Surfers Against Sewage, said: “Yet again, our annual water quality report reveals the complacency and disregard of governments, water companies and regulators towards the health of rivers and coastlines in Scotland and across the UK – and by extension people’s health.

“How much do our blue spaces need to suffocate in sewage before those we elect to keep us safe and protect our environment wake up and smell the shit? 

“We are seeing failure at every level – from governments and regulators failing to enforce the law, to water companies refusing to clean up their act – with the general public ending up the biggest loser every time.

“How many times can we say ‘enough is enough’? Our leaders need to prioritise transparency, ensure laws and regulations are properly enforced, and prevent water companies from continuing to pollute our blue spaces.” 

Sicknesses due to sewage pollution reported to SAS reached 1,924 UK cases in the last year – nearly triple the number of cases reported a year prior. These cases resulted in 1,987 days taken off sick, which translates to 5 years of work lost to ill health caused by polluted waters.

Many of these sicknesses have led to hospitalisation, events cancelled, earnings lost, and businesses closed. As this data only covers cases reported to SAS, these numbers are likely to be the tip of the iceberg.

The Porty Water Collective was set up in response to the ongoing poor state of water quality in Portobello, which is impacted by several sewage overflows bringing sewage downstream into the sea via the Figgate Burn (known locally as the ‘Figgy Burn’).

Portobello is a popular beach with thousands of visitors, but notably has no reporting whatsoever. Users of the beach rarely have any idea if the area is safe to enjoy, or if they will unknowingly be swimming in sewage.

The Collective is conducting regular testing in the area with support from SAS to monitor water quality and raise awareness in the absence of any reporting from Scottish Water.

Charlie Allanson-Oddy, founding member of the Porty Water Collective and an SAS regional representative, said: “It’s obvious from walking the beaches, from the number of baby wipes, that there is a massive sewage-related problem – something that is ignored by SEPA and Scottish Water.

“What we know – from testing conducted in 2021, and now from the Collective’s current water quality testing backed by SAS – is that there are dangerously high levels of E. coli and chloroforms in the Figgy Burn from CSOs further upstream. Not all the locals know this.”

Scottish Water has made a promise to install monitoring equipment on 1,000 of the highest priority sewage overflows by 2024 with the remaining 2,600 to be considered in terms of cost and benefit.

SAS are calling on the Scottish Government to direct Scottish Water to install event duration monitoring on all overflows and for that data to be freely and easily accessible to the public in real-time so the Scottish public can make informed decisions when entering the water.

Additionally, SAS want the Scottish Government to set progressive sewage reduction targets to end untreated discharges into bathing waters, popular water usage areas, and high priority nature sites by 2030.

This year SAS developed the End Sewage Pollution Manifesto, which sets out the policies needed to clean up our rivers and seas.

Created in collaboration with environmental charities, sports governing bodies and community groups around the UK, the manifesto suggests a five-point plan to make the UK’s waters healthy and safe to enjoy again:

• Enforce the law and regulations

• Stop pollution for profit

• Prioritise high-risk pollution events

• Empower a nature-led approach to tackling sewage pollution

• Reveal the truth by ensuring UK-wide transparency on sewage pollution.

SAS-WaterQualityReport2023-NationFocus-ScotlandDownload

Campaigners call for end to incineration excess

Campaigners have written to the Scottish Government urging them to use their powers to stop the development of three incinerators that otherwise will be built, despite Ministers banning new incinerators in 2022.

Local community groups and environmental campaigners have written to Lorna Slater, Minister for the Circular Economy, calling for the Scottish Government to “close this gaping loophole” and immediately stop plans for unnecessary incinerators being built in Scotland.

In 2022, the Scottish Government banned plans for new incinerators after an independent review found that Scotland will have more capacity to manage waste than there is waste to burn by 2027. However, incinerators that had planning approval before the ban came into force were not included in the ban.

There are at least three incinerators (Avondale Energy from Waste in Falkirk; Inverurie in Aberdeenshire; and Levenseat 2 in South Lanarkshire) that have planning permission but have not yet entered construction. If they were built they will create unnecessary and harmful emissions which will put the Scottish Government’s climate and recycling agendas at risk.

The letter asks the Scottish Government to use its powers under the Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) Regulations to direct the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) to refuse to award permits to new incinerators. Without these permits, the incinerators are not allowed to operate.

As well as burning valuable resources, incinerators contribute to climate breakdown by emitting greenhouse gases from the waste they burn. On average, burning one tonne of waste emits one tonne of CO2 directly into the atmosphere.

John Young from the Dovesdale Action Group, who successfully campaigned against incineration plans in South Lanarkshire, said: “Whilst we endure a climate emergency, nationally we are not on target to meet our commitments to reduce emissions or increase household recycling.

“Plans for new incinerators hinder our ability to meet these targets. Burning our resources does not support the national agenda for a circular economy, nor does it recognise the impact on communities and the environment. If we are to reduce the impact of waste, we need to stop polluting our air with greenhouse gases and transform the waste industry for the benefit of the people, not shareholders.”

Dr Ronald Parr, local activist concerned about the planned incinerator in Inverurie, said: “The Inverurie incinerator is redundant before it even opens. If it is built, the North East of Scotland will struggle with two large incinerators just 15 miles apart.”

Kim Pratt, circular economy campaigner at Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: “If all the incinerators that have planning permission were built, Scotland would have more capacity than there is waste to burn in four years time.

“Plans to build unnecessary incinerators must be rapidly reversed. The Scottish Government has the power to do this by directing SEPA to refuse permits, and they must use it.

“Incinerators are a terrible way of getting rid of waste – burning resources means we can’t reuse them and burning plastic releases carbon into the atmosphere, contributing to climate breakdown.”

Shlomo Dowen, National Coordinator of UKWIN, said: “Scotland has a great vision to move towards a more circular economy, and that means less incineration and more reduction, reuse and recycling of waste.

“However, this greener future is put at risk by incineration overcapacity because once built these burners will need to be provided with a constant supply of waste. The Scottish Government needs to act urgently to close this gaping loophole in their incineration moratorium before it is too late.”

The three incinerator plants which have obtained planning permission prior to the ban but have not yet begun construction or obtained a permit are: Avondale Energy from Waste in Falkirk; Inverurie in Aberdeen; and Levenseat 2 in South Lanarkshire. The Glenfarg  incinerator in Perthshire and Oldhall incinerator in North Ayrshire are believed to be in the early construction stages and do not have permits.

The local community groups and environmental groups who have written the joint letter to the Scottish Government are:

Community Groups and individuals:

Ayrshire Against Incineration Group
Badenoch & Strathspey Conservation Group
Dovesdale Action Group
Friends of the Earth Falkirk
Friends of the Earth Inverness and Ross
Irvine Without Incinerators

Environmental Groups:

Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland
Friends of the Earth Scotland
UK Without Incineration Network (UKWIN)

Full letter to the Scottish Government:

https://scot.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5ad0d61b2a67d22c68bf7d8d&id=577a4fa164&e=195fc3d780

Climate-themed exhibition of Oceanic art to open at the National Museum of Scotland

Rising Tide: Art and Environment in Oceania (12 August 2023 – 14 April 2024) delves into the most important and pressing issue of our time, humanity’s damaging relationship with planet Earth.

This is felt especially deeply in Australia and the Pacific Islands where sea levels are rising due to climate change and the oceans are filling with plastic.  

The exhibition hosts the latest version of artist George Nuku’s installation, Bottled Ocean 2123, which imagines the state of the oceans 100 years into the future in an immersive, undersea landscape crafted from single use plastic bottles.

The artwork will address humanity’s unsustainable relationship with single use plastic, highlighting its impact on the natural environment and asking audiences to rethink their relationship with it. 

It was created with the assistance of around 400 people including museum visitors, staff and volunteers from youth and community groups across Edinburgh. The opening of the exhibition coincides with the withdrawal from sale of plastic-bottled water at  the National Museum of Scotland.

Rising Tide also marks the first display in Europe of a set of five kimono which make up an artwork entitled Song of Samoa, by internationally renowned artist Yuki Kihara, newly acquired by National Museums Scotland with the support of Art Fund. 

This exhibition considers our relationship to the natural environment through contemporary responses to climate change and plastic waste by Indigenous Australian and Pacific Islander artists.

Examples include work by master fisherman Anthony C Guerrero, who uses historic weaving techniques to make contemporary baskets from plastic construction strapping that is found littering his local beach in Guam.  

The vulnerabilities of Oceanic countries to climate change are highlighted, whilst showcasing the strength and resilience of their diverse communities.

Alison Clark, Senior Curator of Oceania at National Museums Scotland said:  “This exhibition takes visitors on an important journey of reflection and action. While Oceania may be far away from Scotland, the issues of rising sea levels and plastic pollution are global and their effects are also felt here in the UK.

“The exhibition presents a diverse range of responses from individuals in Oceania to climate threats that are relevant to our own lives. Whilst the climate change threat is both real and immediate, this exhibition also provides a sense of optimism for the future.” 

Rising Tide also features historical material from National Museums Scotland’s collections, such as spear points from the Kimberley region of Western Australia made by Aboriginal men from discarded glass bottles.

A recurring theme throughout the exhibition, these spear points demonstrate that Indigenous peoples in Oceania have always innovated, using materials found in their environment to make cultural objects.

Rising Tide: Art and Environment in Oceania is part of Edinburgh Art Festival, taking place between 11–27 August 2023. 

edinburghartfestival.com/eaf-2023/ 

@edartfest 

#EdArtFest 

Ocean-themed artwork made from recycled plastic to be unveiled at the National Museum of Scotland

The artwork Bottled Ocean 2123, which imagines the state of the oceans 100 years into the future in an immersive, undersea landscape crafted from recycled plastic, has been installed at the National Museum of Scotland. 

The installation, created by the artist George Nuku with the assistance of around 400 people including museum visitors, staff and volunteers from youth and community groups across Edinburgh, will be unveiled to the public next month in the exhibition, Rising Tide: Art and Environment in Oceania (12 August 2023 – 14 April 2024). 

The artwork will address humanity’s unsustainable relationship with plastic, highlighting its impact on the natural environment and asking audiences to rethink their relationship with it.  

Artist George Nuku said: “Plastic is a fascinating material. We think of it as new, with all the things we use it for. But, in fact, when you think about how it is made, from material created during the Earth’s ancient processes, that simple plastic bottle is in a way one of the oldest things around.

“And if you think about it that way, like an ancestor, then maybe you can start to think about treating it with respect instead of throwing it in the ocean.

“With the help of hundreds of local people, we’ve taken a pile of trash and made something beautiful.” 

Groups involved in creating the artwork included the Welcoming, an Edinburgh based charity supporting migrants, asylum seekers and refugees, as well as students from Edinburgh College of Art and children from Granton Youth, and Pilton Youth and Children’s Project. 

Neil Hanna www.neilhannaphotography.co.uk 07702 246823

Dr Ali Clark, Senior Curator Oceania and the Americas said: “We’ve really enjoyed and appreciated working with George Nuku on the installation of Bottled Ocean 2123, and with the many local people and volunteers who have helped with its installation through our community outreach work.

“It makes a fantastic, thought-provoking artwork for the exhibition and we look forward to people’s reactions when it opens next month.” 

The exhibition will delve into the most important and pressing issue of our time, humanity’s damaging relationship with planet Earth. This is felt especially deeply in Australia and the Pacific Islands where sea levels are rising due to climate change and the oceans are filling with plastic.   

This exhibition considers our relationship to the natural environment through contemporary responses to climate change and plastic waste by Indigenous Australian and Pacific Islander artists.

It will also host the first display in Europe of a set of five kimono which make up an artwork entitled Song of Samoa, by internationally renowned artist Yuki Kihara, newly acquired by National Museums Scotland with the support of Art Fund. 

Examples include work by master fisherman Anthony C Guerrero, who uses historic weaving techniques to make contemporary baskets from plastic construction strapping that is found littering Guam.   

Rising Tide also features historical material from National Museums Scotland’s collections, such as spear points from the Kimberley region of Western Australia made by Aboriginal men from discarded glass bottles. A recurring theme throughout the exhibition, these spear points demonstrate that Indigenous peoples in Oceania have always innovated, using materials found in their environment to make cultural objects. 

Rising Tide: Art and Environment in Oceania is part of Edinburgh Art Festival, taking place between 11–27 August 2023.  

edinburghartfestival.com/eaf-2023/ .  

The exhibition is supported by a programme of events including a series of morning curator tours in August which take place before the museum opens to the public.  

@edartfest  

#EdArtFest  

PICTURES: Neil Hanna

Prime Minister to highlight Scotland’s place in securing Britain’s long-term energy security

‘Greenwashing’, say environmental campaigners

  • Prime Minister visits North East Scotland, highlighting the central role it will play in defending the UK against disrupted global energy supplies.
  • There he will also meet with key figures in the energy sector and will visit critical infrastructure projects which will help grow the economy, reach Net Zero, and deliver the next generation of highly skilled jobs for young people in the region.

The Prime Minister will today confirm that Scotland will continue to be at the forefront of UK Government plans to strengthen the UK’s long-term energy security.

During a visit to the North East of Scotland, the Prime Minister will highlight the crucial role that the region will play in enhancing and delivering on the UK Government’s commitment to reaching Net Zero in 2050 and enhancing long term energy security for generations to come.

The UK is leading international efforts by setting ambitious net zero commitments, ramping up the transition to clean energy, reducing total greenhouse gas emissions by 32% since 2010, whilst bringing down energy bills and supporting households.

It is expected that the UK Government and energy authorities will go further than before in announcing continued decisive action to:

  • Boost the capability of the North Sea industry to transition towards Net Zero;
  • Strengthen the foundations of the UK’s future energy mix;
  • And create the next generation of highly skilled green jobs.

The Prime Minister will also meet with key energy industry figures and companies at the forefront of delivering the UK’s energy needs, as well as the next generation of highly skilled people who are working on the projects of tomorrow.

The UK Government says the package ‘will also underpin that Scotland remains a cornerstone of government plans for an energy-independent UK, as well demonstrating what can be achieved due to the strength and scale of UK collective action, in defending the public against global energy supplies which have been disrupted and weaponised by Putin’.

Environmental campaigners have condemned the plans, however. Friends of the Earth Scotland regards carbon capture and storage (CCS) as an attempt to ‘greenwash’ the oil industry and pointed to the long history of failure of the technology. 

They say that instead of giving more public money to oil firms it should be invested in climate solutions that work today and can improve people’s lives such as public transport and home insulation. 

Shell is a key partner in the Acorn project. Last week the fossil fuel giant announced profits of £3.9billion for just the last 3 months, on top of the £32.2 billion profit in 2022. Despite this vast wealth, the Acorn project appears to be totally reliant on further public subsidy to progress. 

Friends of the Earth Scotland head of campaign Mary Church said: “Carbon capture is a greenwashing tactic by profit obsessed fossil fuel companies to try and keep their climate-wrecking industry in business.

“CCS has a long history of over-promising and under-delivering yet politicians have fallen for the spin rather than face reality that the only solution to the climate crisis is a fast and fair phase out of oil and gas.  

“Funding for the Acorn project would be yet another massive public subsidy to oil companies who have been making billions in profits, while ordinary people are struggling to pay the bills.

“Instead of handing more money to polluters, it is time to redirect that investment to climate solutions that we know can deliver emissions cuts and improve peoples’ lives today – such as improving public transport and insulating people’s homes to help with energy bills.” 

Trust in Scottish Water down the drain as Scots call for ban on bonuses

New data from Surfers Against Sewage reveals the extent of anger at polluting water companies, as charity prepares to mobilise public in first ever mass paddle-out protest later this month. 

·       A mammoth 83% of residents in the Scotland support a ban on bonuses for CEOs who fail to adhere to minimum environmental standards. 

·       Trust in water companies is at rock bottom, with less than a fifth (16%) of adults confident that Scottish Water is using their money to improve services. 

·       In response to rising public anger, volunteers backed by Surfers Against Sewage will coordinate a paddle-out protest against sewage pollution at Portobello Beach, Edinburgh on May 20, one of multiple events occurring simultaneously across the UK. 

·       Surfers Against Sewage is demanding calling for an end to sewage discharges into UK bathing waters and a 90% reduction in sewage discharges by 2030. 

New data from charity Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) has revealed the extent of public distrust in Scottish Water amid ongoing outrage at the levels of pollution occurring in Scottish and UK waterways.  

The UK Government and regulators have also come under fire, with 7 in 10 (69%) saying the UK Government should be doing more to tackle sewage pollution. An even bigger proportion (80%) think water company regulators need to do more to make sure water companies reduce sewage pollution. 

The survey data also reveals the issues that are most likely to inform the public’s vote at the next election. A quarter (23%) of Scots report that environmental issues will be their most important factor for voting. Among these people, 6 in 10 (62%) said they cared about water pollution the most. 

SAS are seeking to convert public outrage into action by staging a mass paddle-out protest against sewage pollution, featuring simultaneous events at beaches and rivers across the UK on Saturday 20 May. 

Josh Harris, Head of Communications at Surfers Against Sewage, said: “Last year water companies paid out a combined £1 billion to their shareholders while dumping sewage into UK waterways almost 400,000 times.

“It’s time to put an end to this shameless profiteering. Water companies should not be allowed to profit from pollution, and our data shows that the public agree, with a huge majority calling for an end to industry fat cats pocketing bonuses whilst failing to meet minimum environmental standards. 

“And it’s not just the water companies that need to clean up their act. The Government and regulators should be enforcing high standards and holding water companies to account, but it’s clear to the public that they’re not doing enough. We’ve suffered decades of broken sewers because of our broken system, and now the public have had enough and are demanding an to end this sewage scandal.” 

The data also reveals the importance of river and sea spots for Scots’ physical and mental health.

Over half in Scotland (56%) say access to blue space is beneficial for their physical health, whilst nearly half (41%) go so far as to say that having limited access to blue space is detrimental for their mental health. Despite this, nearly two thirds (62%) say sewage pollution puts them off going in the sea and rivers in the UK. 

Josh Harris, Head of Communications at Surfers Against Sewage, continued: “We’re urging anyone who feels passionately about protecting our blue spaces to join us on 20 May as we rise up against the polluters and stage a mass paddle-out protest across the UK. Water companies are wreaking havoc on our precious rivers and seas, and we refuse to stay silent. Head to your nearest protest and make your voice heard.” 

At least 12 protests will take place across the UK on 20 May, at key locations covering each water company catchment. Swimmers, paddlers, surfers, canoers, kayakers, paddle-boarders, windsurfers and anyone who cares about the health of their local blue spaces will take to the water, beach or riverbank to make their demands heard. SAS are also urging the public to sign their ‘Dirty Money’ petition, which demands an end to water companies profiting from pollution. 

Kim Travers, a volunteer who is organising the paddle-out protest in Edinburgh, said: “We are calling for year-round water monitoring and an end to sewage pollution by 2030.” 

To mark the protests, SAS have worked with Niall Jones – a Cornwall-based product designer and owner of Benthos Surf – and creative agency Mr President to develop a surfboard to represent the extent of sewage pollution in UK seas and rivers.

Jones collected raw sewage from the sea and turned it into resin that soaked into the board, creating unexpected patterns. To maximise the impact of the design, he included two transparent windows in the top of the board that display the two litres of sewage water contained within. 

Mr President have created a video highlighting the extent of the sewage scandal in the UK, and featuring interviews with and footage of Ben Skinner, 11x European Longboard Champion, and other surfers riding the waves on the Floater. 

SAS’s new data comes just weeks after data from water companies and the Environment Agency revealed that sewage was dumped into UK rivers and seas in England, Scotland and Wales just under 400,000 times last year, despite 2022 being one of the driest years in decades.

Last year SAS found evidence of 143 ‘dry spills’ – sewage overflows that occurred when there had been no rain for two days – indicating potentially illegal activity by water companies.

The charity is calling for an end to sewage discharge into UK bathing waters and a 90% reduction in sewage discharges by 2030.

Emergency: Lib-Dem calls to stop sewage dumping in the Water of Leith

The Water of Leith deserves better. It’s been a freshwater resource for centuries – ebbing and flowing across Edinburgh, connecting the Pentlands to Colinton, Saughton, Roseburn, Stockbridge, Canonmills, Bonnington and Leith. Our communities were literally built around it’s clean, fresh flowing water (writes Lib-Dem Cllr JACK CALDWELL).

It’s home to over 11 species of fish, thousands of plant species and is absolutely vital to Edinburgh’s local ecosystem, providing a biodiverse habitat for birds, otters and ducks.

So why have we let it fill up with untreated human waste?

There are 65 Combined Sewage Overflow Stations (CSOs) on the Water of Leith, 14 of which are between the Leith Shore and Warriston, a stretch of the river where you can typically find ducks nesting, or people simply enjoying public “green and blue space” as many of us escape from our gardenless flats.

As of January, none of these CSOs currently retain any data of how much sewage they pump out of them when the drains are overwhelmed by harsher weather, which is becoming more and more common due to climate change.

However 24 of Scottish Water’s 108 highest priority assets for urgent upgrade across the country are located here. New screens have been fitted on several CSOs in the past few years with varying anecdotal results, but the issue ultimately lies with sewage flowing into our precious river in the first place. But how much?

When the ‘Sewage Scandal’ broke last in 2021, data was published across the UK. Sadly Not in Scotland though. We know Sewage is being dumped in the Water of Leith, but we don’t know the extent. We also know that extreme weather led to a 40% increase of raw sewage dumping across Scotland in 2021.

The data we do have in nearby rivers is concerning. In December 2019, the Newbridge CSO, which is monitored, spilled sewage water into the River Almond 13 times discharging over 2,100 litres of water in one month (source: SEPA FOI).

Lots of volunteer-led organisations are doing fabulous work trying to get more information or trying to help clean it up themselves. SOS Leith and the Water of Leith Conservation Trust, among others, both remove tonnes of litter every month from the river and surrounding paths. However, they can’t, nor shouldn’t have to, remove excrement and wet wipes.

Scottish Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur has been pressing Holyrood Ministers to fund and fix the issues, but locally the new Edinburgh and Lothians Drain Partnership must work with Scottish Water and SEPA (the Scottish Environment Protection Agency) to start collecting data before we can even begin to seriously tackle the issue.

With several Scottish Government officials quoted saying Scotland is “way behind” England in terms of solving the raw sewage spill problem, our country, city and communities deserve better.

We need to stop taking Edinburgh’s natural environment for granted. The Council recently declared a nature and biodiversity emergency.

This is why Lib Dem councillors have tabled a motion at this Thursday’s Council meeting to get a public meeting of the Edinburgh and Lothians Drain Partnership as agencies working together and collecting data is a key and urgent part of ultimately stopping the discharge of human waste into Edinburgh’s longest river.

It’s a pity there aren’t more in Holyrood who see the urgency of this issue, but I hope that Councillors can back our plan to move this forward;–

The Lib-Dem motion:

“Council –

Regrets

1)    That there are a large number of Combined Sewer Overflow (CSOs) outputs in Edinburgh’s waterways, such as along the Water of Leith, the River Almond and the Figgate Burn.

2)    That many CSOs are not actively monitored, despite promises from Scottish Water and SEPA that a number of monitors would be installed by the end of 2022.

3)    That although plans have come forward Scottish Water to reduce the amount of CSOs in total, action is still to be taken outwith ‘upgrading’ a small percentage of CSOs.

Notes

1)    The important benefits that our rivers and coastline plays for our community, and that many voluntary organisations clean up our waterways, and thanks them for their ongoing service.

2)    The current situation is contradictory to the City of Edinburgh Council’s declaration of a Nature and Climate Emergency.

3)    The City of Edinburgh Council is a member of the Edinburgh and Lothians Drain Partnership along with Scottish Water, SEPA and others.

Requests

1)    The Edinburgh and Lothians Drains Partnership holds an extraordinary meeting to draft a publicly accessible plan of action and invites key stakeholders and campaign groups including (but not exclusive to) The Water of Leith Conservation Trust, River Almond Action Group, Figgate Friends, Forth Rivers Trust and SOS Leith with Full Minutes published on the Council website alongside a map of all river-based CSOs within the City of Edinburgh.

2)    That Transport and Environment Committee is:

provided six-monthly updates on the installation of sewage monitoring to the business bulletin.
provided ongoing data when this monitoring is live

3)    The Council Leader write to the Scottish Government, Scottish Water and SEPA, outlining the Council’s major concern that no-one knows how much sewage is being dumped in Edinburgh’s biodiverse waterways.

Believes

that the ambition should be that Edinburgh’s waterways are free from the discharge of human waste.”

Moved by: Councillor Jack Caldwell
Seconded by: Councillor Hal Osler

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