Outdated Regulations Fuel Water Pollution Crisis

A series of reports highlight severe pollution issues in both the U.S. and the U.K., primarily stemming from outdated regulations and inadequate enforcement. In the U.S., the Environmental Integrity Project revealed that over 80% of plastics plants have violated pollution limits, releasing millions of pounds of toxic chemicals into waterways, while the EPA has not updated wastewater standards since 1993. A Dow Chemical facility in Texas alone discharged millions of pounds of pollutants into the Brazos River, disproportionately affecting communities of color. Meanwhile, in London, raw sewage from at least 100 homes is contaminating rivers due to misconnected pipes, with local charities calling it a hidden pollution scandal. In the Lake District, illegal sewage discharges from United Utilities have been linked to environmental degradation, prompting calls for urgent infrastructure improvements. Additionally, a village in Uttar Pradesh, India, faces a cancer crisis attributed to industrial effluents contaminating the Hindon River, highlighting the global impact of water pollution on public health.