ARCHIVE: Key Facts about: Inland Water Quality and Use

Serious pollution incidents affecting water, air and land 2002 to 2008

England and Wales

Water pollution incidents
Water 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Category 1 incidents 82 94 114 99 86 70 74
Category 2 incidents 784 685 594 562 519 452 368
Land 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Category 1 incidents 31 17 16 8 5 8 2
Category 2 incidents 458 355 361 233 214 214 197
Air 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Category 1 incidents 6 6 7 6 3 3 3
Category 2 incidents 219 178 176 148 158 148 123

 

Pollution incidents in England and Wales are investigated by the Environment Agency. The chart shows the number of incidents between 2002 and 2008 which had a major (Category 1) or significant (Category 2) impact on each of three media (water, land or air). Some incidents had an impact on more than one medium and appear in more than one column. Water, air and land results cannot be summed to give overall results because of double counting of incidents.

There were 723 serious (category 1 and 2) pollution incidents in 2008 – a 13 per cent reduction compared with 2007 figures. There was no reduction in the number of major (category 1) pollution incidents, but a 14 per cent reduction in significant (category 2) pollution incidents.

Pollution incidents have been decreasing steadily since 2002. The number of serious air pollution incidents declined by 44 per cent; land pollution incidents declined by 59 per cent; and water pollution incidents declined by 49 per cent.

Further Information:
Source:
Environment Agency
Key Facts:
Category 1 and 2 pollution incidents
Data Tables:

Download Chart Data: Microsoft Excel

Internet Links:
For national and local information see:
England and Wales: Environment Agency - Pollution Incidents
Scotland: Scottish Environment Protection Agency – Water Pollution Incidents
Northern Ireland: Environment and Heritage Service – Water Pollution
Department of the Environment in Northern Ireland

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Page last modified: 14 January 2010
Page published: 16 August 2005