Sanitary Towels on the Ribble

Recently I had the pleasure of speaking at one of the regular meetings of the Staffordshire branch of the Barbel Society. During my talk I mentioned my disgust at the amount of sanitary towels that appear in the river Ribble after every flood. If it isn't bad enough having to remove them from your line when fishing in rising water, as the waters drop the surrounding trees resemble repulsively decorated Christmas trees. To be honest I'm totally p*ssed of that an area as beautiful as the Ribble valley is allowed to be degraded in this manner.

It was apparent that a number of anglers present shared my disgust and I began to think that something really should be done about the situation.

An angler at the meeting told me that he thinks what happens is that many sewage works still take water from storm drains (and he didn't believe that new systems can do that as sewage and storm water have to be separated). However most of our local drainage systems are Victorian. The run off from a heavy storm inundates the sewage works and to protect it the sewage, diluted by extra rainwater (remember this is a Victorian theory) runs over a weir straight into the river. Many systems now have storage tanks added which hold the extra water until it can be fed through the works at an acceptable pace.

Apparently one of the problems is that Ofwat will not allow the Water Companies to invest money into new or improved systems for fear that if the water rates go up the electorate will not vote again for the idiots who sold it off in the first place. To spend anything the water companies have to present to Ofwat a very strong case.

The angler who spoke to me thinks that one of the few ways that they can do this is to have the EA putting pressure on them. One of the ways that the EA can do that is for anglers to make a big fuss about the crap that is allowed into our rivers.

If we go to the EA web site you can e-mail them from there with your thoughts. Before I do this I wondered if anyone thought we should put together a united campaign or whether it would hold more credence if it came from a large number of individuals. Another option the angler I spoke to suggested, and it is something I have considered myself is contacting the ACA. Another way of gaining support and something I am considering is contacting some of the controlling clubs to try and gain further support.

Please remember this is an ANGLING and ENVIRONMENTAL issue, although I am principally concerned with the River Ribble the same could be happening on a river near you. So I would ask that any angler, regardless of his geographical location to support this cause.

I have contacted the EA for a comment but am awaitng their return call.

Any intelligent and constructive thoughts welcomed guys.

I think it's more to do with all the @**t's who fish up there.....

Dave, please tell me that I misunderstood your response, that you had a mental abberation that you now regret, or that you are deeply involved with drugs. Otherwise I and others reading your response might see it as a fairly unnecessary and frivolous reply to a serious problem that's occasionally shared by others.

Gerry, I'm often misunderstood....don't worry unduly, the drugs do help.

Not knowing the problem, nor any ideas of how this disgusting situation occurs I have no constuctive point to make. Only that it must be stoped and the reasons why it happens found out.

However, I would have thought a'class' action would be better.

1. You are not relying on individuals to make contact with the approriate body.

2. Large organisations usally take notice of a concerted class type action.

3. A individual or a small group of individuals spear heading the campaign ually ensures something is done.

that's what I was going to say, before the 'christmas tree' visions popped up....though I suppose they could keep the mosquito's away......

Gary your right about the crap that comes down the Ribble, far more than the river Lune, it’s probably the conurbation’s of Nelson, Burnley, Accrington and Blackburn that are the culprits. Re surface water and Sewerage Woks, I’ve had several projects at work now relevant to this and the problem your mate was talking about. We have had to bund large areas of our site because of possible contamination, we make fire fighting foam which contains detergent, and divert sever surface water drains to foul water and hence the sewerage works. 99% of the time all that goes to the sewerage works is clean water which can be quite considerable in times of heavy rain. We have to pay for this but your mate is right the sewerage works can’t copy and the excess is allowed to over flow into the river. If the EA are as stringent with other manufacturing companies then you can see the problem for the Water Companies. These companies are answerable to the EA and could be fined for contaminating our rivers. This would push the cost back up to the manufacturers to do something about the contamination at it’s source.

Sorry Gary I forgot to add a couple of suggestions.
You need evidence to support your/our claim, therefore I would suggest that one or two of the lads who fish the river over the next season take a few photographs of the problem, these could be posted to this site, if this can be arrange, along with letters of complaint form anglers. This could later be followed up by a formal complaint to the EA from FM or any other angling body.

Gary, I am not sure you are correct in your statement about Ofwat. Did you research this or just hear about it? The whole issue of responsibilities and investment by water companies, and linkage back into politics is a bit tenuous now......although you have probably seen my views about how this country is actually run!

My guess is that to get any action done "quickly" .....that is "politics quick", which is bloody slow to you and me, is to link it with pollution and contamination. My (outdated) understanding is that there are very real responsibilities the water companies must adhere to, pollution being a high one. Whether they would clasify this as pollution I just dont know. The one thing they MUST do is fix it.

I think the problem you will really face (apart from looking at the damn things) would be the assertion from the water companies that sanitary towells should never be placed into the "system" by women in the first place. They should be disposed of via the normal waste bins.

So guys, first off, if any of your other halves practice flushing them down the loos, get them to stop it asap. It is an obscene environmentally bad practice. I had the same debate with my wife many years ago believe it or not.

You may also get some support from the companies who manufacture them. They would not want negative publicity.

One of my local lakes, fed by the River Cray, deposited 300 used nappies into it the other month! Obviously this was a one off, but it does make you think.

If you want any help, let me know. It was a subject dear to my heart once (water - not sanitary towells!!)

PS - why are you not at Selby then??

Getting something done about this would undoubtably be a long process. The sewerage situation has actually improved over the years on the Ribble and we do not see the periodic wipeouts that used to blight Ribble downstream of Calderfoot. However it is still not good and the state of the bankside after a big flood is horrible. If my memory is right I think many water authorities negotiated long term and rather slow improvement plans with the NRA when privitisation happened and the NRA was created. They may therefore not be breaking any pollution limits by allowing this sort of thing in very high flows. The only way to move this on would I think be to bring in other water users and get locals and local politicians on board to shame NW water into moving this issue up the priority list.

Stuart is absolutely right about the disposal of sanitary products - and the same applies to contraceptives too. Barring toilet roll, we shouldn't put anything down the loo unless we've eaten it first.

How do women with AIDS dispose of sanitary towels? Not being a biochemist, what’s the risk factor? Should blood contaminated products be allowed into our river systems? It could be good politically even if there is a greater chance of dying by falling out of bed, which I believe is the same chance as catching SARS?

I've just spoken to someone at the EA.

It appears everything is legal. The Water authorites in the this case North West Water under the banner of United Utilities hve no obligation to prevent this whatsoever due to the lack of suitable retaining reservoirs during increased rainfall. In fact due to the nature of the sewerage works it is necessary to prevent raw sewerage from being forced into the river.

Ofwat can do nothing more than advise united utilities on what the shareholders money is spent on.

It's pissing me off and I'm determined to kick up a stink now. I'm going to contact local angling clubs, tackle shops, rambling and walking clubs, birdwatchers and my local MP. I'm going to do what I can to really get on their case. I object to to my local river being systematically and legally polluted when the people who are supposed to be guarding against this do nothing but check my license (occasionally) and twitter on about irrelevant issues such as livebaiting.

Stu - can't go to Selby I'm off to Sweden instead !

Anyone wish to help then send me an email

Sweden - work I take it?

Also, do not forget European Legislation. I would have thought we conform to accepted practices in Europe, but you never know.

If this happened in France you can imagine the reaction! Tractors blocking roads everywhere.

Why dont you set up an email list or something? As I studied Environemntal Science its of real interest to me so I would be happy to help in anyway (i.e. digging around etc).

Stu,

I'd welcome any help I can get. No doubt when (if) I finally corner someone they will try to blind me with science - an Environmental Scientist on our side would really piss on their chips.

The important thing here is it CAN be stopped. It's just a case of getting the shareholders money spent !!!!!!

.......I may have to get my old books out!!

Funnily enough I went back to my Uni at the weekend, first time in 20 years, and I noticed they had set up a new Environment Unit. I'll give one of my old mates a call who lectures there and see if he has any advice.

Excellent, thanks Stu.

I would have thought a suitable gruesome picture in the local paper would have a great deal of effect.

Stu, you mentioned about those nappies in the cray a while ago.
Im nearly finished forming a comunity Angling & conservation group focused on the River cray.
Its a partner organisation of Thames 21.
www.thames21.org.uk
They manage an Adopt-a-River program of which im the Group leader for the Cray.

So far things have been pretty informal with cleen ups, however I did have to undergo a Health & safety training program to manage the group.


Ive studied Environmental conservation, land management, ecosystems and fisheries management.
Reading the previouse comments on the problems of river pollution and the role of water companies and the EA and your science knowledge (mines a bit rusty) would you be interested in comming on board???

Thames 21 have a bit of clout behind them but as a local you would proberley have more imediate knowledge.

we are not a fishing club but an environment group focused on promoting angling and safe practices, but more importantly protecting and enhancing the River Cray from Hall place to Crayford marsh.
As we become more established we hope to spread further afield and liase with other like minded groups and clubs.

We are suported by ENCAMS Keep britain tidy, port of london authority, EA, Thames water, corporation of London and British waterways London.

As I mentioned we are newley formed after several years of nagging and checking things out and plan to hold our first official group meeting in a few months time.

I have also been assisted with volunteer training by the Directory of Social Change who are keen to lend their support. Also bexley council and the Bexley Rangers .

If you are interested give me a mail.
Invite open to other local interested persons.

If you are interested in starting a sceme in your local areas around the Uk check out the web site for Thames 21 or mail them at;

info@thames21.org.uk

CSO's

Combined Sewage Overflows.
are outlets into rivers- they look like pipe outlets and some have covers that are hinged.
They were built into the sewage system so that excess storm water could escape out of the sewage system in times of heavy rain.
If they were not present then surrounding properties land and roads would be flooded with the excess water and sewage.

As storm water and Sewage systems are combined, raw sewage will also be present in stormwater, therefore the CSO,s outlets will carry bothe storm water and sewage related litter such as hypodermic needles,sanatary products.ie anything that is put down toilets.

As a rule of Thumb, if there has been 2-4 mm of rain fall then there will be CSO activity.

Info i have is that the EA are putting forward a report outlining options to tackle this problem.
It will cost over ?1 billion.
The EA are putting preasure on goverment ministers, to make a Decision about investigating the problem.

It is assumed that there will be no changes within the next 15 to 20 years.

We are therefore advise to take measures as laid out in our health and saftey traing and cleansing operations on our rivers.
Also pass on incidents to the EA research team and inform/educate locals, family and friends.Not to put anything down toilets other than the obviouse!

I think most of the problem is to do with the calder.I fish at calder foot and there is alsorts of rubbish coming down there in a flood.bloody disgusting what you have to clear of your line etc.and the trees as you say are covered in sanitary towels,contraceptives etc.thats the trees on the bottom mile of the calder.higher up the ribble doesnt seem to bad.certanly nowhere near as bad.I believe they are upgrading the sewage works on the calder but dont know how advanced this is.there are grayling and trout and sea trout in the river now.so water quality cant be to bad for these to survive.the river itself smells awful some days and is worse at night.makes you wonder what they let go at night when its dark.I would certanly try to push it on a health risk matter.try to get press, local councellors etc involved.local elections on thursday so when they come knocking on your door for your vote tackle them about it and make a big fuss.