Tag: environment

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A flood of water complaints in England and Wales but barely a dribble in Scotland

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In the Guardian today: The number of customer complaints that were unable to be resolved by water companies in England and Wales has risen by almost a third to the highest level in nearly a decade. There was a 29% increase in 2023-24 in cases escalated to the Consumer Council for Water (CCW) by households that failed to achieve a resolution from their supplier, the watchdog said. The jump has been fuelled by consumer discontent over sewage spills, billing mistakes and problems with water meters, with customers having exhausted their water supplier’s two-stage complaints process by the time they turned to the CCW. Its annual report … Continue reading A flood of water complaints in England and Wales but barely a dribble in Scotland

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Every water firm in England and Wales, one Scottish caravan site and one guy in Muir of Ord under investigation over sewage spills

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Thanks once more to Dottie’s Phone for alerting me to this. From the Guardian today: The water regulator is taking action against four more water companies, including Severn Trent and United Utilities, meaning every wastewater company in England and Wales is under investigation over sewage spills. Ofwat said it had served formal notices on Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, Hafren Dyfrdwy, Severn Trent and United Utilities, asking them to provide evidence for its investigation into companies’ wastewater management in England and Wales. The regulator has looked at the companies’ environmental performance and data about how often they spill from storm overflows. It said this had … Continue reading Every water firm in England and Wales, one Scottish caravan site and one guy in Muir of Ord under investigation over sewage spills

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NHS Scotland staffed and equipped to do more than 98% of planned operations on time despite steadily increasing demand

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By Professor John Robertson From Public Health Scotland on 2nd July 2024: During May 2024, there were 25,657 operations planned to take place across NHSScotland. This is 6.4% higher than the number planned a year previously in May 2023 (24,125). • The number of planned operations has been steadily increasing since pandemic restrictions first affected provision of services in March 2020. In the 12 months from April 2023 to May 2024, there was an 8% increase in the number of planned operations compared to the previous 12 months. This compares to a 15.3% year-on-year increase when comparing year ending May … Continue reading NHS Scotland staffed and equipped to do more than 98% of planned operations on time despite steadily increasing demand

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Diarrhoea in the Thames again, £18 billion in debt, £150 million to shareholders just before investors withdraw a pledge to pay for a clean-up and Labour are not interested

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Thanks to Dottie’s Phone for alerting me to this. In May 2024, the Guardian told us: Thames Water has sent samples of water for lab testing after dozens of people reported becoming unwell with stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea in south-east London.  Today, they have: Thames Water has been urged to show greater transparency over its finances and accused of “financial chicanery” after it emerged its board had approved a £150m dividend hours before its shareholders U-turned on providing emergency funding. The Guardian revealed last week that the board of the struggling water supplier agreed to the payout at a meeting on … Continue reading Diarrhoea in the Thames again, £18 billion in debt, £150 million to shareholders just before investors withdraw a pledge to pay for a clean-up and Labour are not interested

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German research suppressed by Labour Government and media in 2008 revealed under 5’s living near nuclear plants more than twice as likely to develop leukemia

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By Professor John Robertson I’m grateful to JB for alerting me to this. I knew nothing of it because mainstream UK media do not seem to have covered it at all. On 30th June 2011, the German Bundestag voted to phase out nuclear energy. Why? Safety was a paramount concern in the decision to phase out nuclear power: the use of nuclear energy causes highly dangerous radioactive radiation for humans and the environment and leaves behind highly toxic waste. High safety precautions must be taken throughout the entire life cycle – from the extraction of the raw material uranium to … Continue reading German research suppressed by Labour Government and media in 2008 revealed under 5’s living near nuclear plants more than twice as likely to develop leukemia

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Emergency issue of potassium iodine tablets to those living near to US nuclear plant and research showing significant cancer risks casts serious doubt on Scottish Labour plans

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By Professor John Robertson Yesterday, in the Philly Voice, USA: People living near active nuclear power plants are advised to have potassium iodide, or KI, tablets on hand in case of a radiological emergency. KI is an over-the-counter medication that protects the thyroid from absorbing nuclear radiation. The Pennsylvania Department of Health is offering free KI tablets to people who live within 10 miles of the Limerick Generating Station in Limerick Township, Montgomery County, on Wednesday, June 12. Radioactive iodine released into the environment during a nuclear accident may be absorbed by the body, increasing the chance of thyroid cancer. Saturating the thyroid … Continue reading Emergency issue of potassium iodine tablets to those living near to US nuclear plant and research showing significant cancer risks casts serious doubt on Scottish Labour plans

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Cryptosporidium in the Capital, Diarrhoea in Devon, a Toilet in the Thames, a Lavvy in the Lake and Sick sheep in the Swale? Eh…drug deaths…..ferries…

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By Professor John Robertson Today, in the Guardian, we see: Thames Water has sent samples of water for lab testing after dozens of people reported becoming unwell with stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea in south-east London. Earlier this month, unsafe drinking water led to more than 100 cases of a waterborne disease in Devon, with people asked to boil their water because of contamination fears. After cryptosporidium, a disease that can cause symptoms such as diarrhoea and vomiting, was detected in the water supply in the Brixham area of Devon 10 days ago, 17,000 households and businesses were told by South … Continue reading Cryptosporidium in the Capital, Diarrhoea in Devon, a Toilet in the Thames, a Lavvy in the Lake and Sick sheep in the Swale? Eh…drug deaths…..ferries…

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Exposure to carcinogens in Faslane

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In May 2024: Silence is revealing? In May 2023: QUESTIONS are hanging over the safety of Britain’s nuclear arsenal after it was revealed there were 58 radiation leaks at Trident facilities in Scotland this year so far. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has revealed there were 15 recorded radiation leaks at Coulport and a further 43 at Faslane in 2023 as of April – but said none were considered “serious”. https://www.thenational.scot/news/23545590.trident-mod-confirms-50-radiation-leaks-year/ In March 2016: Twenty workers at the Faslane nuclear submarine base were exposed to radiation due to safety errors, newly-released documents have revealed. The engineers were repairing a leaking … Continue reading Exposure to carcinogens in Faslane

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Scotland’s rivers far more likely to be clean

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From the Guardian, typically Anglocentric, today: England’s rivers are likely to remain in a poor state for years to come because the government is failing to put in place EU clean water laws post-Brexit, the watchdog has found. When Britain was a member of the EU, the government was required to follow the water framework directive (WFD), standards for waterways that have been credited with cleaning up Europe’s dirty water. Since Brexit, the UK (sic) is no longer required to match EU regulations, and has its own watchdog, the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP). Under the WFD, all rivers are supposed to … Continue reading Scotland’s rivers far more likely to be clean

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ONS confirms Scotland as ‘sticky asset’ rich

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By stewartb There is merit in communicating the intrinsic – the ‘sticky’ – assets of Scotland. Demonstrating that Scotland has valuable assets in abundance is a necessary but not sufficient part of case making for independence – it’s also about giving confidence that such assets can be better sustained, used to better effect and renewed in future in an independent Scotland. I do still come across Unionists holding to the ‘too wee, too poor etc.’ nonsense! The UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) has in recent years been publishing accounts of ‘natural capital’ or ‘wealth’. It explains: ‘Natural wealth is reflected … Continue reading ONS confirms Scotland as ‘sticky asset’ rich