[Report 1969] / Medical Officer of Health, Liskeard Borough.

  • Liskeard (England). Borough Council.
Date:
1969
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1969] / Medical Officer of Health, Liskeard Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    7/42 (page 3)
    The disappearance of the normal water plants, and weeds is frequently followed by a great proliferation in slimy green algae and fungi which further degrade and destroy the watercourse involved giving it the character of a disgusting and stagnant ditch. Streams, rivers, and lakes are amongst the most pleasant features in our natural environment, and afford valuable outlets for recreation. Additionally with the growth in population and industry these as sources of water supply are assuming an importance which increasesyear by year. This consideration is more likely to be a compelling and urgent indication that this particular aspect of environmental pollution be brought under control than the pure amenity aspect of the problem. In the long run this, and indeed most forms of environmental pollution arise because we as individuals and communities expect, and in a large part achieve higher and more sophisticated standards of living. There is nothing inherently wrong in this demand for a so-called higher standard of living, but we must not turn our backs on the undesirable by-products which result whether in the pollution of land, and water from industrial activities, the pollution of the atmosphere by gaseous discharges, the despoilation of open spaces by the deposit of house¬ hold refuse, and unwanted domestic hardware or the ever rising tide of noise that assaults and batters our senses and our peace of mind. Reducing and eventually preventing pollution will not come about without the expenditure of money, in some cases very large sums indeed. If industry has to spend money on this, all or a large part of the expense involved will be passed on to the consumer by way of higher prices for goods and services. If such price increases reduce the ability of an industry to be competitive in overseas markets,it may well be necessary to subsidise measures to control and abate the pollution it creates. One way or another we all face the inescapable conclusion that solving this problem will cost us something. On the personal level we must be clearly aware of the increasing amount of pollution we as individuals contribute to our environment in shape of house¬ hold refuse and discarded hardware. The volume and diversity of this increases not only because population grows, but also because affluence and higher living standards give rise to more refuse per head of population. Modern methods of containing, wrapping, and presenting goods whilst excellent for that purpose, do by virtue of the almost indestructible properties some of them possess present quite a problem in their disposal. The increase in the number of non- returnable containers for solid and liquid commodities of all sorts adds further to the volume of unwanted material to be collected from private houses, and trade premises. As a consequence of all this, areas suitable for the tipping of refuse, which are already most difficult to find even in lightly populated rural districts, are having their life drastically reduced. I have for some time felt that refuse disposal is an increasingly serious problem to which insufficient thought and concern has so far been given. More enquiry and research on the two main facets of this problem is called for. We must look at ways and means of reducing the volume of refuse produced per head of population even if this involves some reduction in the durability and relative indestruct¬ ibility of packages and containers or their replacement by some material which can be disintegrated or destroyed more readily. At the other end of the process more efficient handling of refuse at the tipping site including methods of bulk reduction, and destruction where possible will have increasingly to be used. The inevitable result of this will be some increase in the cost of this service. As a footnote I might add that as much of additional refuse produced consists of inert non-prutrescible material it presents a greater threat to amenity and civilised living conditions than to the health of the community. During the year an interesting if rather unusual aspect of food hygiene came to notice. Elsewhere in the country close on 40 people were infested with liver fluke. This leaf-like worm normally attacks the sheep in which it causes liver rot. As the development of flukes calls for damp conditions and water, vegetation in the vicinity of streams and ponds in fields containing sheep is in danger of having on it encysted forms of the young fluke. Included with grass and other plant life to which flukes attach themselves is watercress. If watercress from such a location - usually referred to as wild watercress - is eaten by human beings the fluke will infest the human liver making the person concerned ill. -3'