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"Every single marine species that we've looked at so far is full of cocaine" [1]
['Ruben Bolling']
Date: 2024-03-29
Alex Ford, UK Marine Biology professor at the University of Portsmouth, says that when the sewage treatment plant at Hampshire's Langstone Habor, on the southern coast of England, becomes overloaded, it spills raw sewage into the harbor. That means that it's dumping not just human excrement, but also the drugs that excrement contains, including contraceptives, anti-depressants, and cocaine. Link to an article in The Independent here.
These drugs then enter the systems of the marine wildlife, and affect their chemistry and behavior.
'Every single marine species that we've looked at so far is full of cocaine.' – Professor Alex Ford
Figures are expected to show last year was the worst for sewage spills in England since monitoring began. pic.twitter.com/Pj6QlHQYEe — Good Morning Britain (@GMB) March 27, 2024
The Guardian reported that raw sewage discharges in England have reached record levels, with an increase of 105% over the past year. Link here.
Here is an interview with Professor Ford, in which he explains what effects the drugs have on marine wildlife.
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