The Dirty Man of Europe: The Great British Pollution Scandal

Britain is the EEC's biggest producer of sulphur dioxide, the principal cause of acid rain. Britain is the only nation pouring large volumes of sewage straight into the North Sea. Alone in Western Europe, Britain has made a virtue of importing toxic waste. And it's our own environment as much as our neighbours we're polluting, aided by the authorities' neglect, rule-bending and resistance. Britain has repeatedly missed deadlines and opposed the terms of international agreements for controlling pollution from cars, power stations, industry and agriculture. Britain has tried to undermine European pesticide controls, evade nitrate regulations, denied evidence of aluminium poisoning, failed to act on city air pollution and bent the rules to "legalise" the increasing outpourings of underfunded sewage works. British pollution is not being swiftly cleared up. It is being camouflaged with a heavy layer of official cosmetics. This is the first time that the full and horrifying extent of Britain's pollution scandal has been uncovered and documented, a story of cover-ups and ecological misrule. The author has researched and conducted campaigns for WWF International, Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace, and is now Director of Media Natura, Britain's green media charity. His previous books include "Crisis or Conservation" with Charlie Pye-Smith and most recently, "Acid Rain: It's Happening Here".