
BBC Inside Science Is treated sewage worse for the environment than raw?
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Jun 6, 2024 Wastewater experts Simon Evans and Ali Morse discuss the environmental impacts of treated sewage, highlighting its contribution to pollution. Biologist Cindy Engel explores animals' self-medicating behavior in the wild. Harry Witchel predicts Eurovision winners based on song criteria.
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Treated Sewage Impact
- Treated sewage can harm the environment, despite common assumptions about its safety.
- Different treatment levels exist, and current standards may not fully protect ecosystems.
Sewage Treatment Focus
- Most sewage treatment licenses focus on oxygen demand and solids, not nutrients like phosphorus.
- Unregulated nutrient discharge fuels algal blooms, harming aquatic life.
Windermere's Algal Bloom
- Lake Windermere's algal bloom is linked to phosphorus from human waste.
- Many sewage works, especially in tourist areas, lack phosphate strippers to remove phosphorus.

