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River Wye pollution: Tesco urged to help reduce Wye pollution

BBC The River Wye, seen from Symonds Yat Rock in Symonds Yat, Herefordshire, near the border with Gloucestershire and Monmouthshire, Wales.BBC
The River Wye runs through mid and south Wales, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire

Campaigners are urging supermarket giant Tesco to work with its egg suppliers along the River Wye to combat increasing levels of pollution.

River Action says there are 20 million chickens being farmed in the Wye catchment area in Herefordshire and Tesco is the biggest customer to two suppliers there.

The excrement causes ecological damage to the river, the group says.

Tesco said it would continue to engage with suppliers.

The group said it had written a letter to the supermarket chain where it states the situation had "reached a state of emergency".

Hens on poultry farm
River Action said there were millions of chickens being farmed in the area

"If this situation continues to be left unaddressed, the River Wye faces ecological collapse."

A Tesco spokesperson said it was funding the work of the Wye and Usk Foundation to tackle water pollution and working with suppliers to help reduce pollution.

"Protecting and maintaining water quality and biodiversity in our supply chains is an important element of the work we do with our suppliers, and we want to play our part in ensuring the protection of the River Wye, alongside other factors across the food industry," they added.

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