Advertisement
This talk will show the extent of microplastic contamination in our rivers and explain how and why microplastics enter rivers, the threat they pose to ecologically-sensitive river beds, and the ecological consequences of micro-plastic contamination. New data on microplastic ingestion by fish in these rivers will also be explored. The talk stems from research by a small team of physical geographers at the University of Manchester investigating microplastic contamination on the river beds of their city region. Jamie will explain how this research at Manchester has generated widespread media coverage and led to policy-shaping impacts at Westminster. Jamie Woodward is Professor of Physical Geography at The University of Manchester and one of the UK’s most influential environmental academics, recognised in the ENDS Power List as a leading figure making a major contribution to public understanding and policymaking on microplastic pollution, wastewater discharges and the health of Britain’s rivers. His research explores how humans interact with rivers in the present and the past.
The research behind this talk began as a curiosity-driven piece of river catchment science that quickly gained visibility beyond the academic to become part of a national debate about the state of Britain’s rivers, the environmental impact of sewage-dumping private water companies, and years of failure to monitor and regulate water company activities.
Jamie is the author of A Little History of the Earth (2025) published by Yale University Press.
https://www.manchester.ac.uk/about/news/one-of-uks-most-influential-environmental-academics/
Our Troubled Rivers with Paul Whitehouse on iPlayer BBC2 2023 (26 mins in)
Advertisement
Event venue
Buxton Methodist Church Hall, Chapel Street, Buxton SK17 6HX (2nd door down the hill), Buxton Methodist Church, Chapel Street, Buxton, SK17 6HX, United Kingdom
Tickets
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.
Discover more events by tag
Conferences in BuxtonEducation in BuxtonEnvironment in BuxtonAnimals in BuxtonTechnology in BuxtonData-science in BuxtonMachine-learning in BuxtonEnvironmentalism in BuxtonHealth-wellness in BuxtonArt in BuxtonLiterary-art in BuxtonScience-fair in Buxton