Marine water pollution is an issue that impacts coastal communities across Scotland. Whether from raw sewage discharges, industrial pollutants, chemicals from finfish farming or agricultural run-off, poor water quality causes widespread issues across the coast. These include damage to local marine and coastal habitats, health risks, and local economic impacts.
At its core, this is an environmental justice issue: communities are denied both a healthy environment and meaningful participation in addressing pollution. Communities wishing to test their own waters face prohibitive costs and limited access to equipment, further restricting their ability to act. There is a clear need for accessible information, improved water-quality monitoring, and pathways that enable communities to develop local solutions and hold polluters to account.
