Title: Water pollution incidents in England and Wales - 1990 : report of the National Rivers Authority
Author: National Rivers Authority
Document Type: Monograph
Annotation: EA additional title info: water pollution incidents in england and wales - 1990
Abstract:
This report is the first comprehensive annual analysis of pollution incident statistics in England and Wales, although basic information has in the past been documented in the DoE publication Digest of Environmental Protection and Water Statistics. The report supersedes the previous annual reporting of water pollution from farm wastes alone and adds details o f pollution incidents arising from all other sources. Summary statistics are provided on reported pollution incidents occurring in the calendar year 1990, including details of court actions. The year generally paralleled 1989 in terms of weather, being exceptionally dry and affording conditions of low pollution risk for silage production and run off related pollution. A total of 28,143 pollution incidents were reported in 1990, of which about 2.3 per cent were classified as major incidents as defined by the NRA incident categorisation system. Oil and sewage pollution incidents were the most commonly reported, with industrial and farm incidents accounting for 10.0 per cent and 11.2 per cent respectively. There appears to be an increasing number of reported oil and sewage related incidents. A total of 272 incidents in 1990 resulted in successful prosecution by the NRA. It should be stressed that pollution incident statistics are partly based on reports received from the public and therefore do not comprehensively describe the national impact o f episodic pollution. There are also difficulties in evaluating the severity of impact and identifying the pollutant source accurately, which reduce the robustness of the data.
Publisher: National Rivers Authority
Publication Date: 1992
Publication Place: Bristol
Subject Keywords: Water quality; Industrial pollutants; Agricultural pollution; Statistics; Waste disposal; Annual reports
Geographic Keywords: England; Wales
Extent: 40; + appendices
Permalink: http://www.environmentdata.org/archive/ealit:4116
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