The Lake District, known for its beautiful scenery, made the BBC news this morning, but not because of its peaceful views or poetic charm. Instead, the news was about the rubbish left by people pretending to be campers. The shores of Buttermere are now covered with abandoned camping gear like mattresses, clothing, and even an axe used to cut down trees. Several bonfires have burned and blackened the ground. The National Trust, which takes care of the area, thinks cleaning up will take two days and cost about £1,000.
At Roseberry, especially in the Cliff Rigg quarry, the National Trust has a similar problem. Youths seem to think it is their personal rubbish dump. Every week, volunteers have to pick up litter, take down trashed tents, and scatter the remains of fires, while the Rangers are forever fixing broken fences. If the volunteers’ time were paid at the basic living wage, it would cost far more than £1,000, which is quite ironic.
This morning, I climbed to the top of Cleveland’s iconic hill. My main aim was to take a picture of the newly painted trig point, which has now been free of graffiti for a whole 24 hours. On my way down, I picked up a few plastic bottles but, without a bin bag, left the wet-wipes behind. Why are there so many of these discarded wet-wipes?
These modern conveniences are advertised as biodegradable but are still a problem when left in nature. A proposed ban on plastic in wet-wipes might have unexpected consequences. Without plastic, people might flush these wipes down toilets, not knowing the damage they will still cause.
These supposedly biodegradable wipes can block sewage systems and pollute rivers because they do not break down easily. Removing these blockages is expensive and often leads to raw sewage overflowing into rivers, polluting the water and posing health risks.
The chemicals in the wipes, regardless of plastic content, can harm aquatic life and contaminate drinking water. Discarded wipes can also disrupt river flow and increase flood risks. A plastic ban might make people think they are being environmentally responsible while still harming our waterways and ecosystems1Randa Lindsey Kachef. 2024. ‘A Ban on Plastic Wet Wipes May Lead to More River Pollution, Not Less’, The Conversation <https://theconversation.com/a-ban-on-plastic-wet-wipes-may-lead-to-more-river-pollution-not-less-232228> [accessed 4 July 2024].
This situation shows how efforts to protect the environment can sometimes make things worse. The story of the wet-wipe, like the abandoned camping gear, reminds us of the ongoing selfishness of humanity — someone else’s problem.
- 1Randa Lindsey Kachef. 2024. ‘A Ban on Plastic Wet Wipes May Lead to More River Pollution, Not Less’, The Conversation <https://theconversation.com/a-ban-on-plastic-wet-wipes-may-lead-to-more-river-pollution-not-less-232228> [accessed 4 July 2024]
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