Littering and pollution along the Irish coastline confirm “a new building boom” and the expansion of agriculture throughout the island, according to the results of the annual Coastwatch Survey.
The extent of landfill materials, including construction material, found at a quarter of all 538 shores surveyed and a “widespread increase in nitrate enrichment of fresh water inflows” entering seashores are evidence of this, it says.
Coastwatch says rising nitrate levels are probably due to an increase in cattle numbers and other “man-made sources” such as septic tank systems, fertiliser run-off and improperly treated wastewater.
“The [nitrates] picture for the south and the east coast is worrying,” concludes Coastwatch . At 13 per cent of locations in Northern Ireland nitrate levels were found to exceed a limit set by the EU Nitrates Directive.
Source: Irish Times
