Saving the Earth starts in our own backyard
THE MAIL is right to highlight plastic pollution. It is clear, however, that a bottle charge or deposit would not even put a tiny dent in the problem. Waste dumping has been going on for generations and it would take the same number of generations to clean up the environment. But, two questions . . . Do barges full of waste from London still get towed out into the North Sea? And is there a requirement that local authorities on the coast are responsible for clearing up their own patch? If the answers are yes, then why is the debris allowed to build up and become a major problem? Take the Thames foreshore at Purfleet. The Rainham Marshes Reserve is a welcome recent development. The bank of the Thames that runs past it is carpeted with rubbish, some probably toxic, that the tides carry in. It needs to be cleared frequently. The source of all that rubbish is not just ships. Currents and tides move vast quantities of material across the seas. Science could investigate the source of some and publish the results. We should have a ‘Great Spring Clean’ for March 2018. Start with Mail readers identifying the places that need attention. Chart the results. Local hotspots should be brought to the attention of the responsible authority. We must ensure the planet is in a fit state for occupation in 200 years, not just 20. Let us start in our own back yard and pick up any plastic ourselves.
ordin hArrYmAn, essex.