Parliament petitioned to clean polluted rivers

Soil Association policy advisor Cathy Cliff (left) presented the Stop Killing Our Rivers petition to North Herefordshire MP Ellie Chowns

A 30,000-signature petition calling on the government to clean up the Wye and other rivers affected by industrial poultry production will be presented to Parliament, a charity has said.

Soil Association said intensive chicken farming created "huge amounts" of phosphate-rich manure, which was applied on fields to fertilise crops and found its way into rivers.

The charity said North Herefordshire Green Party MP Ellie Chowns agreed to present the petition on its behalf in the next fortnight.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) stated it was fully committed to working to make the right changes.

The food and farming charity said it was calling on the government to ban new intensive poultry units and any expansion of existing ones and support farmers to "exit this damaging industry".

It said the MP agreed those involved in industrial-scale livestock must be supported to transition to more sustainable farming practices.

Downgraded condition

Chowns received the petition near the River Wye on Thursday and has tabled a parliamentary question on the issue, the charity said.

She said the ecological condition of the Wye and its tributaries, the Lugg, Arrow and Frome, was under threat, "in particular due to phosphate pollution".

"Last year Natural England downgraded its condition to unfavourable-declining," she said, adding: "Companies must not profit from pollution."

Phosphate levels in many soils were already too high and, "when it rains, it runs off into surrounding rivers," the charity said.

There, it "causes algal blooms which are devastating wildlife and plants".

Soil Association said stretches of rivers at risk from the boom of intensive poultry units include the Thet and Wissey in Norfolk, the Swale in Yorkshire, the Witham in Lincolnshire, the Frome and Arrow in Herefordshire, the Tern, Roden, Severn and Vyrnwy in Shropshire.

A Defra spokesperson said: "The level of pollution in the River Wye is unacceptable, and we are fully committed to working with local partners and the Welsh Government to make the right changes on the ground.

"We are determined to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good - we have introduced a Water (Special Measures) Bill and announced a detailed review to shape further legislation."