It’s being reported that no-one is regularly monitoring the toxic mix of oil, chemicals and bits of tyre from roads that is polluting English waterways.

The BBC says that, in response to a Freedom of Information request, it found the Environment Agency did not regularly monitor run-off, though it did test for pollutants from roads as part of its general water monitoring.

The EA said it recognised that run-off from highways and urban areas was a “serious issue” accounting for 18% of water quality failures in England, and the third most damaging source of water pollution after agriculture and sewage.

The BBC says England’s major road network has more than 18,000 outflows or drains and that National Highways says it’s working to improve them.

The report adds campaigners have been doing their own testing and told the BBC they had found micro-plastics, heavy metals, toxic chemicals like arsenic and carcinogenic compounds from car tyres.

(Picture – Yay Images)