The Environment Agency does not require filtering out heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, disruptors, and microplastics in its final effluent standards. This can lead to ecological harm and public health risks.
We want the Government to introduce stronger final discharge effluent standards for water companies in England that include these.
We believe enhancing standards to include these is essential for environmental and community safety.
Current limits of 25 mg/l O2 for BOD and 125 mg/l O2 for COD fail to address key pollutants like heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, endocrine disruptors, and microplastics.
Without Government action, water companies are unlikely to act. We believe immediate action is essential to safeguard our waterways and public health and prevent an impending ecological crisis.