SAS believe this information is nothing more than what should be the minimum industry standard. It is estimated that over 2 billion sanitary items, such as condoms, tampons and wipes are flushed down the toilet every year in the UK; these products end up on the UK’s precious coastline as Sewage Related Debris (SRD). Our toilets are NOT ‘wet’ bins. Not only is SRD unsightly it has been shown to carry harmful bacteria and viruses to our beaches and bathing waters and to cause blockages at sewage treatment plants, resulting in sewage spills. Producers of sanitary items have a responsibility, along with their consumers to minimise the impact that their products have upon the environment, at the very least their products should provide basic disposal information.

Sustainable Achievable Solutions is a cornerstone of all SAS campaigns; therefore our first action in July of this year since then we have made every attempt to engage with the companies we identified, that did not have the minimum disposal information on their products. We tried to contact them by phone, email and post asking them to commit, by World Toilet Day, to incorporating appropriate disposal information onto all sanitary products in their next packaging run. Responses to this request were mixed to say the least, the 9 companies listed below and the potential impacts of their inaction fell easily into three categories; The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

The Good
SAS always celebrate the good, as a direct result of our ‘Think Before You Flush Campaign’ the following companies have committed to ensuring that their packaging carried appropriate disposal information and in some cases have already incorporated it, enabling their consumers to make an informed decisions and helping to protect our precious coastline.

Pasante Femidoms

Thirst Pockets Kitchen Towels

The Bad
SAS believe that ‘Think Before You Flush’ information is nothing short of the minimum industry standard. Therefore we have been extremely disappointed with the responses we have received from some producers of sanitary products, some of whom have more than one product without the bare minimum disposal information, what’s more some companies have refused even to reply to SAS despite multiple attempts to make contact since July of this year, those companies are listed within the “The Bad” table below.

Lil-Lets Tampons (“The used Tampon can be flushed away” on packaging)

Boots Feminine wipes (“Simply Flush away” on packaging)

Superdrug cotton wool pads and face wipes (No response)

Sainsburys Dental Floss

Beiresdorf/Nivea Facewipes

Don't shit on the beach

SAS welcome support from Keep Britain Tidy and Richard McIlwain from Keep Britain Tidy said: “Research carried out by Keep Britain Tidy shows that people give little or no thought to what happens once they have flushed items down the toilet, until they are made aware of the environmental impact of their actions. People want to do something positive to help improve the environment and educating people about responsible disposal is vital. The manufacturers have a key role to play in educating their customers and we would urge them all to join the ‘Think Before You Flush’ campaign to help clean up our coastline. Litter is everyone’s responsibility and disposing of it correctly is vital if we want to ensure our island’s coastline does not find itself drowning in rubbish.”

SAS Campaigns Officer Dom Ferris says: ‘Here at SAS we are sadly only too aware of the threat that marine litter, in particular SRD poses to the UK’s precious coastline. Whilst it’s great news that 4 companies have come on board with the ‘Think Before You Flush’ Campaign, we are both saddened and angered by the apathy of the other 5 companies, especially when you consider how straightforward it would be for them to put this basic information onto their products. More worrying still is that some companies such as Boots and Lil-lets are actively encouraging their consumers to “Simply flush away after use” (Boots Feminine Wipes). They should be ashamed!’

Cotton buds were notable in their absence from the list, although we are still finding unacceptable amounts on the UK’s beaches. However there are signs that their prevalence is decreasing; this is due in part to a successful SAS ‘Think Before You Flush Campaign’ in 2008. Six major high street retailers (Waitrose, Co-op, Asda, Tesco, Marks and Spencer and the Body Shop) agreed to incorporate appropriate disposal information on their cotton bud packaging after months of pressure from SAS, the precedent has been set.

For more information please contact Dom Ferris or call SAS HQ on 01872 553 001. Visit sas.org.uk for more information on ‘Think Before You Flush’.

SAS have developed an online map that will automatically update you in real-time with information on combined sewer overflow (CSO) spills at surf spots. You’ll even be able to sign up for free text messages alerting you to sewage spills at some of our nation’s best beaches. This will give you the real-time water quality information to help protect yourself, your family and friends from any potential health risks associated with exposure to raw sewage.

SAS has been exposing sewers discharging raw sewage onto the UK’s coastline for years. In recent times, SAS has elevated this issue to the front pages of national newspapers, onto prime time national current affairs TV programmes and highlighted it to Government ministers.

True to SAS’s campaign ethos, they’ve always highlighted the problem whilst consistently promoting the solutions. The real-time CSO warning system is just that, part of the solution, giving you reasonable and adequate information, allowing you to make a more informed decision to avoid any short-term pollution incidents arising from the CSO’s that impact on your favourite beaches, bathing waters or surf spots.

SAS have targeted the water industry tirelessly on this issue, persuading them of the importance of sharing sewage discharge information in real time. This year, there will be between 40 and 60 beaches, represented by 4 water companies, participating in the scheme, and by 2015, we aim to have all of our important, affected beaches around the UK signed up. They’d like to thank South West Water, Southern Water, Welsh Water and Wessex Water for sharing this information on a voluntary basis and for their commitment to the project. We are looking to expand around the entire UK so watch this space and, in the meantime, check out the map.

Andy Cummins, SAS Campaign Director says: “This is great news for beach users. Finally we are being told about sewage discharges as they happen, allowing us to make informed decisions about how and when we use the sea.”

Anglian Water turns off their UV treatment outside the bathing season (1st of October until the 15th of May). Unfortunately for surfers this is the best season for surf. Turning off the UV results in a dramatic increase in the potentially harmful pathogens released to the sea. Pathogens that can result in Hepatitis A, Ecoli 0157H, Gastro Enteritis and much, much more.

SAS are concerned not just about the impacts on the marine environment but also about the potential health impacts on the local water sports community that use these beaches all year round. Research has shown that surfers are 3 times more likely to contract Hepatitis A than bathers as we immerse and ingest more than the average bather. This research is been backed up with anecdotal evidence from the local water sports community.

Turning off the UV is a significant step backwards in protecting our marine environment from pollution and SAS believe there are other energy saving steps the company should be making first and foremost.

The water company could also be doing more to create its own renewable energy from the sewage treatment process. For example, Severn Trent Water will soon be producing approximately 50% of their sewage works energy requirements by using gas produced from the sewage treatment digestion process.

SAS recently fought a successful campaign against turning off UV sewage treatment at popular beaches in North East in 2008. The Environment Agency determined that before any water company reduces their levels of sewage treatment by turning off the UV treatment, they must first prove the absence of water users and prove it doesn’t impact on water quality. SAS believe this sets a strong precedent and one that should be followed throughout England and Wales.

SAS are calling on the Environment Agency to ensure that Anglian Water fully treat their sewage and properly protect water users all year round. And from the 1st of October onwards we are calling on the Environment Agency to undertake a comprehensive study into the presence of water users at Mablethorpe and Cleethorpes.

Matt Strathern at Extreme Horizon Surf Shop says: “There’s a strong and increasing water sports community that want to use the sea all year round. I’m hearing from many locals who are complaining about ear, nose and throat infections and because of the reduced treatment people are less keen to go in knowing what could be out there.”

Surfers Against Sewage Campaign Director says: “Surfers and waveriders in Mablethorpe and Cleethorpes deserve the same levels of protection offered elsewhere around the country. Because surfers are immersing and ingesting in the water, especially in winter, we are more at risk from harmful pathogens like hepatitis A and Ecoli and need year round protection.”

SAS has spent the summer highlighting the inadequacies of the UK’s sewerage system, specifically with Combine Sewage and Stormwater Overflow drains (CSOs), culminating in the hard-hitting Panorama programme “Britain’s Dirty Beaches”. The EC is concerned that the urban waste water collecting systems and treatment facilities in London and Whitburn in North East England and have deemed them “inadequate and a threat to human health.”

SAS have highlighted time and again concerns over the short-term pollution impacts CSOs have on our coastline, and stressed the potential impacts to water users and especially waveriders who are more at risk as they immerse and ingest more than the average bather. Some of the health risks associated with using sewage polluted waters include Ecoli, Hepatitis A, Gastro Enteritis and much more.

Our rivers, seas, bathing waters and surf spots are suffering from short-term pollution incidents from CSOs. The sewerage system is being over powered by the volume of water after periods of rain. There are solutions that can take the pressure off the sewerage system without relying on CSOs or resulting in sewage backing up in our homes. They include improvements in the efficiency of the sewerage system and/or an increase in capacity at sewage treatment works. Local planners need to embrace and promote Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) that slowly release surface rainwater runoff. And we can all use water more responsibly, taking small steps like turning the tap off whilst brushing our teeth, which will in effect increase capacity at sewage treatment works reducing the risk of overflow.

European Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said: “More attention needs to be paid to upgrading collecting systems to ensure full compliance with EU legislation on waste water treatment. Such investment will bring enormous benefits in terms of improving the quality of the environment.”

SAS Campaign Manager Andy Cummins says: “The EC are echoing SAS’s concerns over the frequency CSOs are used is discharge raw sewage and rain water rather than treating it in a sewage plant. This can be a serious threat to human health.”

Yesterday Surfers Against Sewage’s (SAS) Scottish representative Alasdair Steele was joined on Pease Bay beach by local surfers and MSP John Lamont, to warn waveriders of the potential increased health risk at Pease Bay as Scottish Water reduce the levels of sewage treatment from September 15th.

4 weeks ago SAS unveiled a straw poll to the local waveriding community in Pease Bay. In just 4 weeks over 200 people have committed to using the sea at Pease outside the bathing season and joined the SAS call for full year round sewage treatment.

Scottish Water’s treatment works at Cove, near Pease Bay, is permitted to reduce levels of sewage treatment from full ‘tertiary’ treatment to ‘secondary’ treatment. Resulting in a huge increase in potentially harmfully pathogens entering the sea, a real health concern for local waveriders. Especially as Pease receives its best surf during this period. With new wetsuit technology, even on the coldest winter day surfers can enjoy the surf for hours on end.

The waveriders who have committed to using Pease Bay outside the bathing season estimate they will use the sea a combined total of total of 4,206 times from the 15th of September 2009 until the 15th of May 2010. Because of the nature of these water sports, surfers and waveriders are 3 times more likely to contract Hepatitis A, from sewage polluted waters than the average bather due to increased immersion and ingestion.

In 2008 SAS secured a victory on a similar campaign in England, when Northumbrian Water applied to reduce levels of sewage treatment outside the bathing season. Largely due to SAS’s hard fought campaign, the Environment Agency (EA) stipulated that sewage treatment could only be reduced outside the bathing season when the water company can prove an absence of water users and an absence of impacts on water quality. SAS believe this is a strong precedent and that Scottish water users deserve the same levels of protection.

SAS are calling on Scottish Ministers to recommend to the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) that Scottish Waters keep their sewage treatment works at Cove at a tertiary level, whilst a robust survey of recreational water usage at Pease outside the bathing season is undertaken.

SAS’s Campaign Manger Andy Cummins says: “SAS are urging Scottish Ministers to ensure SEPA deliver the same levels of protection English and Welsh waveriders enjoy and ensure that Scottish Water’s discharge doesn’t impact on popular beaches.”

SAS’s Edinburgh Rep Alasdair Steele says: “Pease Bay has a huge community of surfers and receives great surf, especially outside the bathing season. This is when we need full sewage treatment to protect waveriders from potentially harmful bacteria and viruses.”

SAS have helped the Panorama team expose the shocking truth that after heavy rain, raw sewage is consistently discharging into our rivers, seas and bathing waters without warning to the public and water users.

SAS campaign manager Andy Cummins features heavily in the programme and captures the most outrageous footage of a Combined Sewage and Stormwater Overflow drain (CSO) discharging raw sewage into a river. This is the first time this disgusting practice has been highlighted, and was a scene that Andy Cummins captured repeatedly throughout summer 2009.

This summer especially, SAS has received a disturbing amount of medical complaints from water users all over the UK and this programme will help SAS ensure that water users are aware that after periods of heavy rain, water quality can be dramatically reduced.

The Panorama team commissioned their own tests – carried out by Plymouth Marine Laboratory – at bathing waters impacted by these CSOs and discovered traces of the potentially deadly strains of Ecoli 0157:H7 amongst other worrying pathogens. SAS are extremely concerned that these scandalous results were found at beaches that were achieving an excellent water quality result from the Environment Agency’s testing.

The Panorama team put these alarming findings to water companies and the Environment Agency and helped SAS exposes the shortcomings in our sewerage system. It makes for compelling viewing for everyone, but compulsive viewing for anyone who uses the UK’s rivers and seas.

Surfers Against Sewage Campaign Manager Andy Cummins says: “These disgusting discharges of raw sewage are a major health risk to water users and Panorama has done a great job in helping SAS get the message out that after periods of heavy rain water quality can be dramatically reduced. Now this information is out there, water users can make an informed decision before exposing themselves to potentially bacteria and viruses.”

Yesterday after meeting the new bank manager (who was great), i decided to head down for a swim out round the swim buoy at Aggie. The summer rain (heavy, but not unusual) had meant the sewage had overflowed and there was poo on the beach again and nobody was allowed in the sea. Gutted.

So get supporting the guys across the way and help them to continue fighting this problem and all the other ones out there. They are doing a great job. (Tom)