I don't often ask people to write to their MPs. But I think they might listen to you on this, as it's so jaw-droppingly awful, and they're almost certainly unaware of it. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre... Please also write to the Environment Secretary: steve.reed.mp@parliament.uk Thanks. - ThreadSky

georgemonbiot.bsky.social • 8 days ago

I don't often ask people to write to their MPs. But I think they might listen to you on this, as it's so jaw-droppingly awful, and they're almost certainly unaware of it. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/mar/21/tonnes-sludge-uk-farmland-sewage-farms-toxins-food-system
Please also write to the Environment Secretary: https://[email protected] Thanks.

Comments

choosearandomname.bsky.social•7 days ago

Second time today, I’m posting this photo I took last year of a pile of chicken shit in a field in Llanbister, Powys.
Probably somewhere in the river Wye down stream in England by now.😬

rouler.bsky.social•7 days ago

Guardians of the land.

My arse.

longtimeleftie.bsky.social•7 days ago

The UK is really screwed. Privatisation has killed it.

chrisba60.bsky.social•7 days ago

Written to mine, let’s see if she responds… a career labour politician

majorgrump.bsky.social•7 days ago

Not a chance of my MP Anne Davies of listening… this shit is spread all over Carmarthenshire by dairy farmers.

greenman-23.bsky.social•7 days ago

its unlikely that UK dairy farmers have the capacity to take sewage sludge in addition to their own cow slurry..

Cows produce more shit than milk and its the means to dispose of that shit that determines stocking numbers..

thus sewage sludge is more likely to be used on Arable than dairy farms

majorgrump.bsky.social•7 days ago

Well that’s something I guess…

dendrorodbale.bsky.social•7 days ago

Ditto any plaid mp

rckjnsn.bsky.social•7 days ago

If only it was shit..

rafaelmelchor.bsky.social•7 days ago

https://bsky.app/profile/ssteingraber1.bsky.social/post/3lkxopxd7us2n

rafaelmelchor.bsky.social•7 days ago

I’m Still waiting for a(even automated)response, both, from the last issue you asked us to write to our MPs about
And the one I wrote to him about(over two weeks ago now)concerning the proposed benefit cuts.
Something tells me,
“The Secretary of State for Business and Trade”
will be aware of it🤔💭
🌱🕊️

litterygeniarse.bsky.social•7 days ago

Just heard from him about my criticism of the BBC, but I've e-mailed him and Reed to ask what they're doing to adress the issue you highlighted.

https://bsky.app/profile/litterygeniarse.bsky.social/post/3lkxv5xvvk22t

garygilligan.bsky.social•7 days ago

His response is really poor.

hyperionpsn.bsky.social•7 days ago

There will be much scratching of heads in his office when the 24/7 free political broadcasts for reform lead to electoral losses.

dimow.bsky.social•7 days ago

Without kicking out the Tory influencers the BBC is doomed. I stopped watching their news programmes two years ago.

litterygeniarse.bsky.social•7 days ago

I catch them occasionally but they leave out very important thing all the time. Covering their arses by reporting at 2am or on one of their buried channels or an article on their website.

It's sickening. Labour's reluctance to do anything is scary.

messmonstergigi.bsky.social•7 days ago

That’s pathetic, aren’t at least some of the senior positions made by the government?

litterygeniarse.bsky.social•7 days ago

The Tories certainly packed the BBC with some even farther right people.

bebsdotteragain.bsky.social•7 days ago

What we really need to do is get rid of this government and dismantle, then rebuild the whole political system!!

wh67.bsky.social•5 days ago

Not only tree felling. Fares need to be reduced as well, big time.

andreashopf.bsky.social•7 days ago

Eat shit. Literally.

greenman-23.bsky.social•7 days ago

once upon a time sewage sludge was dumped at sea practice was stopped on environmental grounds

I remember my lecturer at Uni (soil science) lamenting how this would lead to toxic build up in land (rather than fish)

you just cant make this shit up or stop the puns streaming like diarrhoea

josstified.bsky.social•7 days ago

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/news/latest-news/21475/

"the islanders were unwittingly poisoning the soil on which they relied, and perhaps themselves too"

greenman-23.bsky.social•7 days ago

interesting...

1s't thoughts..

likely those levels aren't contaminants from farming practices or guano use but result from weathering of rocks (natural) .. The geology of St Kilda is igneous (old volcano) which often contain metals (i.e zinc & arsenic).. not saying that's the source here..but 1/2

greenman-23.bsky.social•7 days ago

similarly Zinc is an essential plant nutrient albeit at trace levels
If guano, seaweed or fish waste were involved I would have expected to see Mercury on that list as its known to accumulate in fish
my gut feeling is that the levels are likely naturally occurring.. but hey what would I know. 2/2

mochy.bsky.social•7 days ago

Same deal in the US

https://bsky.app/profile/mochy.bsky.social/post/3lcsy3zrryc2l

fglowe.bsky.social•7 days ago

I wish I could, but as he’s the Speaker of the house there’s little point.

grb090423.bsky.social•7 days ago

It's probably worth emailing anyway; it gets the point across that people are angry about this.

My MP is one of the nastiest of tories but I'll be writing to Steve Reed, as GM suggests.

satiricalplanet.bsky.social•7 days ago

Welcome to Britain, where water companies have turned H₂O into liquid gold, if by “gold” you mean massive shareholder profits, record-breaking sewage spills, and a 47% price hike for some lucky customers.
https://aiwillybillhuman.substack.com/p/water-water-everywhereand-its-getting

jansuse.bsky.social•7 days ago

We have the useless Steve Barclay (wife works for Anglia Water), whose dept passed the mega Wisbech incinerator. The particulate matter fallout will contaminate 30% of UK food, plus people & wildlife in 25 mile radius of town & out to sea in the Wash. They have no idea what they will be burning.

graymarye.bsky.social•7 days ago

@joshfg.bsky.social

skilliano.bsky.social•7 days ago

📌

tashinken.bsky.social•7 days ago

How do you keep the fire burning to keep fighting? It’s a never ending stream of sh:t, one after another. Will write but doubt jt would even be read let alone replied. My MP @chrishinchliff.bsky.social as your constituent I ask you to take action against pollution and for safe food

jonmckinley.bsky.social•7 days ago

Could you say a bit more about how water companies and the waste industry are putting pressure on the government not to act on this issue? If we can highlight this and embarrass the MPs and officials concerned it might help jolt them into action.

anthonyf272.bsky.social•8 days ago

This is something that the Lib Dems and Greens must bring up in Parliament. I've lost faith in the Labour government who seem to put big company profits before anything else, just like the last lot.

tashinken.bsky.social•7 days ago

Sadly have to agree

brian-robinsonbsky.bsky.social•7 days ago

Your piece sounds to me rather like a call of despair, which doesn't sound like you, Mr Monbiot. I'm afraid I despaired long ago. I see no basis for hope that the human species has a future, unless neoliberalism is what natural selection works on to our ultimate benefit. But has it time?

mimisnana.bsky.social•7 days ago

One that got me was the push towards diesel cars. Even as a young nurse non driver at the time I knew it was utterly wrong but hey cheap fuel!

peterwelsh68.bsky.social•7 days ago

Thanks for posting.
Appreciated!

First draft of letter done but I need to cut out a uncomplimentiary remark about Wes Streeting

before sending it in a minute as it's not pertinent to the matter in hand!

finl3y.bsky.social•7 days ago

Oh, please leave the Streeting remark in whatever it is

matthewcopley.bsky.social•7 days ago

Are you suggesting that water bills rise to cover the cost of sewage being treated in such a way to allow the safe recycling back to agricultural land?

jono-13.bsky.social•7 days ago

As my MP is @elliechowns.bsky.social I am saved from having to alert her, she already is onto this..

akasmudge.bsky.social•7 days ago

I believe my MP has a specific interest in dealing with the water companies and I support @willforster.bsky.social to keep at it ✌️

sitebadger.bsky.social•8 days ago

And the tonnes of sludge spread on land to ‘rehabilitate it’. Oh yes that’s a fact!

frommeshed.bsky.social•7 days ago

Really? Can't be true in this day and age? We re going to hell in a hand-cart.

sparklykitten.bsky.social•7 days ago

We will all pay the price for the disgusting way we treat the planet 💔

alliballibee.bsky.social•7 days ago

@georgemonbiot.bsky.social can you confirm if this is a UK-wide issue, as Scottish Water and SEPA are separate entities to their English counterparts?

georgemonbiot.bsky.social•7 days ago

Yes, sadly

alliballibee.bsky.social•7 days ago

Thanks for confirming what I hoped wouldn't be true.
@scottishwater.bsky.social
@scottishepa.bsky.social care to comment?

lordbtb1.bsky.social•7 days ago

And we eat whatever grows from that sludge. 🤮🤮🤮

thollis.bsky.social•7 days ago

I would George but I have Braverman as my MP, as we know she is a complete waste of time

ripley123.bsky.social•7 days ago

Also, share this with any farmers you know - it may inform them of what the plastic all over their fields is doing to their crops.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/microplastics-are-disrupting-photosynthesis-and-the-impact-could-be-huge/ar-AA1B1reF

sirbasil.bsky.social•7 days ago

A future health catastrophe in the making

"Do you remember the days when we used to spread untreated sewage on our farmers' fields!"

margaretgearydwyer.bsky.social•7 days ago

I have. No response yet.🙄♿✊🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🇵🇸💚 She is a Starmerite.

finl3y.bsky.social•7 days ago

I emailed my MP about trans rights when she was campaigning for election. Emailed her again about cuts to disability. She’s never replied so somehow I don’t think she’s going to be bothered but I can try

todmanpla.bsky.social•7 days ago

Write to her about making a donation and see if she replies. If she does then you could provide details to the press

lizijames.bsky.social•7 days ago

She sounds like mine

andrewsharpe.bsky.social•7 days ago

You don't mention it, but this appears to be an English article. Scotland's SEPA seems to be a little more advanced in its approach to trade effluent and pollution eg with already mandatory SUDS. Has your research revealed issues here as well?
https://www.sepa.org.uk/regulations/water/pollution-control/

mimisnana.bsky.social•7 days ago

I think you need to be careful here. Environmental neglect is not a partisan issue and hypocrisy is everywhere. Sepa should reply to this issue and while they're at it look at some of the stuff they turn a blind eye to...

andrewsharpe.bsky.social•7 days ago

Hence my question. Do you know the answer?

mimisnana.bsky.social•7 days ago

👏👏

parami2u.bsky.social•7 days ago

No surprise there Andrew

andrewsharpe.bsky.social•7 days ago

I haven't fully researched this area, but I suspect it's yet another case of progressive governments and publicly owned key services delivering better outcomes than Westminster's neoliberal approach...

anna-marie.bsky.social•7 days ago

My MP would rather speak at a Trump fundraiser than do the work of a constituency representative. In fact, his sole aim is to represent his own personal interests.
Reposted so others can write to their non-absentee MPs.

disqualified.bsky.social•7 days ago

So sorry.

valeriarichards.bsky.social•7 days ago

Perhaps they don’t care because ministers are the toxic waste protecting the sludge. #YearofTheSnake

https://youtu.be/NoMuQMY5xog

disqualified.bsky.social•7 days ago

@zoefranklinld.bsky.social

gom162.bsky.social•7 days ago

Which companies? Hard to do anything with someone few specifics?

womenwarriors.com•7 days ago

stevebasnett.bsky.social•7 days ago

If you decode the positions of the sewage treatment arms in the silo 'clocks' of the full overhead photo, it reads:
WE TAKE YOUR MONEY AND THEN SHIT ON ALL OF YOU

Also, I take this very seriously and back all attempts to get this high crime activity thoroughly cleansed.

proudleftycw.bsky.social•7 days ago

I wondered ifhuman excrement was the farm land smell. The case for nationalising water and to clear up the sewage from land beach and waterway is cast iron. How do we get the bigots to listen?

ben-wild.bsky.social•7 days ago

@georgemonbiot.bsky.social there is currently a public consultation on land use that's been set up by Steve Reed. This is certainly something worth bringing up there. I've already mentioned it to people at work too

ben-wild.bsky.social•7 days ago

https://consult.defra.gov.uk/land-use-framework/land-use-consultation/

cabruce.bsky.social•7 days ago

@simonforstroud.bsky.social have you seen this? Deeply concerning and almost certainly a contributor to the rising sick population. Instead of cutting disability benefits perhaps the obvious root causes of illness could be tackled.

heartofdanielle.bsky.social•7 days ago

Sick and disabled people are a burden on government coffers. Politicians do not govern on compassion. Increasing wealth for the wealth has always been the goal.