Edwin Poots 'shocked' at levels of rubbish in NI rivers
- Published
Environment Minister Edwin Poots is pictured with local resident Jon Medlow cleaning up the River Bann
The environment minister has said he is "shocked at the level of pollution, debris and waste," in NI rivers.
Almost 20,000 plastic and glass bottles, 800 football, rugby and tennis balls and 120 bags of rubbish are an example of some of the things fished out of the River Bann in nine months.
Edwin Poots took to the river in a kayak to see the extent of the problem.
Mr Poots said the volume of debris in the waterway was "truly appalling".
The River Bann's kayaking litter-picker
He went with a volunteer who has been trying to clear the river and improve the water and habitat quality for wildlife and nature.
"It's obvious that it has a profound and damaging impact on the fish and wildlife using our rivers and on the ecosystem including organisms, plants, grasses and trees near the river banks," said Mr Poots.
He said that while many enjoy the benefits of nature and respect the outdoors, "others are selfish and lazy and simply dispose of things without thinking or caring about the effects".
"A plastic straw takes approximately 200 years to decompose, a plastic bottle 450 years and some plastics never decompose," he said.
"It is our responsibility to help our environment to thrive," he added.
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Jon Medlow, who spent from September 2019 to April 2020 sweeping the river for litter, often fills a dinghy full of rubbish.
Mr Medlow has covered a 12-mile stretch of the River Bann from Portadown Golf Club to Bannfoot at the mouth of Lough Neagh.
"I have been able to purchase two kayaks and equipment to enable others to get onto the river and help with the clean-up, free of charge," he said.
He said volunteering with the clean up was a rewarding experience for those who had helped out.
Mr Poots has spoken of his shock at the level of river pollution
Items removed from the River Bann between September 2019 and April 2020:
11,672 plastic bottles, 7,793 glass bottles
1,381 cans, 466 footballs
311 tennis balls, 156 soft plastic balls
124 plastic buckets, 118 bags of rubbish
57 items of footwear, 45 plastic drums (three containing used oil, one leaking fuel)
26 plastic plant pots, 25 plastic containers (one with oil and water, one with petrol, one with oil)
22 plastic ducks, 17 paint tins
15 traffic cones, 13 oranges
11 shopping trolleys, 11 x 1/2 fishing rods
10 lifebuoy rings, 10 fire extinguishers
Nine chairs, nine hurling balls
Eight basketballs, seven bananas
Seven bicycles
- Published9 February 2020
- Published24 June 2019
