After a music festival left behind a concerning amount of toilet waste in a nearby stream, the public pushed for the event’s organizers to be held accountable. Instead, they received just a written warning.
As the Oxford Mail reported, the aftermath of the Cutteslowe Park festival in Oxford, England, featured a massive amount of waste from portable toilets that appeared to have been illegally dumped into a local waterway. The incident triggered an investigation by the U.K. Environment Agency.
“We attended Cutteslowe Park in Oxford last weekend to investigate a potential pollution incident,” a spokesperson for the agency said, per the Mail. “Our investigation is ongoing. We will not hesitate to take enforcement action where appropriate.”
The situation alarmed area residents who visit the stream. Since the waterway connects to River Cherwell, many feared that the waste could ignite a toxic outbreak that may impact wildlife as well as humans.
Dumping waste into waterways contaminates the water and greatly impacts aquatic ecosystems by degrading habitats and introducing toxins. This can threaten human health by polluting drinking water sources and fisheries. Chemicals, plastics, and even human waste contribute to harmful algal blooms that deplete oxygen levels and jeopardize water quality.
TMC Events, which handled operations for the festival, acknowledged the severity of the issue. However, the company denied any wrongdoing. “We contract professional companies to remove waste from site, and this is beyond unacceptable and does not fit within our company values,” a spokesperson for TMC events said, per the Mail.
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Despite the public backlash, the EA determined that a severe punishment was not needed. “The incident at Cutteslowe Park has been assessed as having minimal impact to the environment and the investigation has concluded,” the EA spokesperson said. “The company responsible has been sent a written warning in line with our Enforcement and Sanctions Policy.”
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