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BBC Inside Science: Microplastics in UK river beds

06/05/2021

Microplastics in UK river beds

BBC Radio 4 - BBC Inside Science, Microplastics in UK river beds

Victoria Gill wades into the microplastic problems in UK riverbeds.

Vic Gill reports on new research trying to find the sources of the microplastics that are accumulating in UK riverbeds. Also, why scientists are making apple spirit near Chernobyl.

Untreated wastewater "routinely released into UK rivers" is creating microplastic hotspots on riverbeds. That is the conclusion of a study in Greater Manchester, which revealed high concentrations of plastic immediately downstream of treatment works. The team behind the research concluded: untreated wastewater was the key source of river microplastic. 

Jamie Woodward takes Vic Gill wading in the River Tame in Greater Manchester to show some of the sites they studied, while co-author Rachel Hurley talks from Norway on the wider global questions of where microplastics get into our environment and what harm they do. 

The origin and location of the radioactive pollution that so devastated the lives and livelihoods of those affected by the Chernobyl disaster 35 years ago is not a mystery. But recently it has become apparent that in one small inaccessible room within the massive sarcophagus at the ill-fated power station, the nuclear fission still happening is getting slightly faster. 

As Neil Hyatt describes to Vic, the reason may be because the new concrete shell, unlike its predecessor, is doing a better job at keeping the rain out, and nothing to worry about for the time being. 

Meanwhile, Jim Smith and colleagues have been trying to demonstrate that agricultural products could help the besieged economy of surrounding areas. Using apples grown in regions where investment is illegal, they have developed a spirit drink - called Atomik - with which they hope to demonstrate a viable market outside of the Ukraine, perhaps providing jobs and export business, and maybe even useful profit with which to help the area.  

And finally, Dr Kim Dienes describes from Swansea the health and psychological benefits of something so many hundreds of  millions of people in the world have been missing this year: a nice hug.

Presenter: Vic Gill
Producer: Alex Mansfield
Assistant Producer: Samara Linton.

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