High levels of pollution found in Jersey, says Save our Shorelines

The report looked into the environmental impacts of nitrogen pollution, asbestos, PFAS and heavy metal pollution

A Jersey conservation group says it has found high levels of pollution in the island's coastal waters.

Save our Shorelines (SOS) reported higher levels of lead and iron than expected after testing water samples taken around Elizabeth Marina in 2019.

The SOS report looked at environmental impacts and focused on nitrogen pollution, asbestos and poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

The States of Jersey has been contacted for comment.

As part of the report, the group asked the government's Environment Department for the results of samples taken at Bellozanne and First Tower.

It said it looked at 850 samples taken over 15 years from a discharge pipe at Bellozanne sewage treatment works and found "there has not been a single measurement taken where the nitrogen level is within the discharge permit".

Samples taken at the First Tower outfall, which discharges into St Aubin's Bay, found the nitrogen levels were also "well above the permitted level", but it said data was "very sparse and inconsistently gathered".

SOS said it was a "depressing fact" there was little importance "given to this situation, clearly demonstrated by the poor sampling regime".

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