Expert’s horror at plastic along river
A WILDLIFE expert told to walk along the River Taff in Cardiff was horrified by the volume of plastic rubbish he spotted littering the banks. Tim Birch called the pollution a “plastic crisis”.
Mr Birch is senior policy and advocacy manager for Wildlife Trusts Wales, and had been told by a friend that the river running through the city is lovely but what he saw shocked him.
In an article for Cardiff Times, Tim wrote: “The amount of plastic pollution strewn along the banks of the river was the worst I have ever seen in the UK. It wasn’t in just one or two spots but along extensive stretches of the riverbank.”
Wildlife including swans, kingfishers, goosanders and otters can be found in the River Taff and Tim is concerned for their wellbeing as they live among a sea of plastic.
He saw mute swans and goosanders waddling on the banks amongst the plastic during his walk along the river near Cardiff’s city centre.
Tim wrote: “Make no mistake, this is a serious threat to wildlife both above and below the water.
“It is also a serious threat to the ongoing plastic pollution of our oceans. Every bit of plastic that flows from our rivers into our oceans deepens the plastic crisis in our seas. Plastic if left to itself will get infinitely smaller but will never disappear.
“Impacts of plastic pollution on wildlife can be significant as the plastic gets smaller and is ingested by wildlife.”
Cardiff Council said the Harbour Authority has a team of litter pickers who patrol Cardiff Bay daily as well as using a specialist vessel to clear rubbish on the water.
An average of 430 tonnes of rubbish and natural debris is collected each year, including items such as single use plastics, tyres, wooden pallets and beer barrels.
Tim says that a clean up of the River Taff needs to happen urgently and a new strategy needs to be implemented.
He added: “There needs to be an urgent clean up and where possible recycling of the huge amount of plastic waste and litter along the banks of the River Taff in Cardiff.”
“In addition, there needs to be an urgent strategy to significantly reduce the amount of plastic reaching the water environment in and around Cardiff and that means addressing the wider problems of plastic pollution in the water catchments that surround Cardiff.
“The River Taff is such a wonderful asset for the people of Cardiff and important for wildlife. It needs some love.”
A council spokesperson said: “The Harbour Authority has a team of litter pickers who patrol the edge of Cardiff Bay on a daily basis, as well as a specialist vessel out on the water regularly collecting the rubbish which accumulates.
“We collect an average of 430 tonnes of rubbish and natural debris each year, including items such as single use plastics, tyres, wooden pallets and beer barrels.”
“Keeping the water clear of litter is an ongoing task and we would urge people visiting the Bay to dispose of their waste responsibly in order to help us achieve this.”
Natural Rescources Wales told us it was unable to comment on the issue as it is “not within their remit.”