Guardian - Mix Of Cyanide And Sewages Pollutes 30 Miles Of River Trent

[hatrack]

Environmental regulators today said those responsible for a pollution emergency in which cyanide and partially treated sewage leaked into the river Trent in Staffordshire faced unlimited fines if they were identified and convicted. Public health warnings were issued as the polluted water made its way downstream from Stoke-on-Trent towards the east Midlands and an investigation was launched into the incident, which killed thousands of fish and threatened other wildlife and pets.

The Environment Agency said people and animals should stay out of the river between Stoke and Yoxall. The Food Standards Agency said people should temporarily stop extracting water privately from the river. The Drinking Water Inspectorate said public water supplies were not affected because there were no public abstraction points on the affected stretch.

The Environment Agency said the cyanide was thought to be from an illegal discharge which had affected bacterial treatment of sewage at Severn Trent Water's Strongford works at Barlaston, near Stoke.

A spokeswoman said that effluent released into the river was now at "acceptable" levels. Oxygen had been pumped into the river to prevent further fish deaths. Investigations were under way to identify the source of the cyanide.

EDIT

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/oct/07/pollution-river-trent-investigation

[phantom power]

1. "Oxygen had been pumped into the river to prevent further fish deaths."

You see, the terraforming of the earth has already begun.

[hatrack]

2. Hold on one second . . .

"This installation has a substantial dollar value attached to it.

I just can't authorise that kind of action, I'm sorry."