Why we need to report on the causes of Blue-green algae, not just its consequences
This summer, the presence of Blue-green algae along Ireland’s north coast has generated significant attention. The algae can be harmful to humans and is highly toxic to animals, leading to calls for people to remain ‘vigilant’ and to ‘take extra care’ when visiting beaches over the July holidays.
Multiple sources of media — from local outlets to national broadcasters — have published widely about the spread and impact of the algae. However, there has been a reluctance to stray beyond mentioning its potential health impacts or providing updates on when beaches will be safe again.
What is missing, it seems, is an explanation of the causes and solutions to Blue-green algae. Despite the fact that water pollution from agricultural runoff and poor sewage treatment are central to the story, there has been little acknowledgement of this. Neither has there been a nod to how better environmental regulation can prevent this from happening more regularly.
In all, this serves as an example of how the environment remains a side note for most media outlets. Although public interest in the environment has increased over recent years, commentary is mostly sporadic and lacks any form of critical debate about solutions. While the issue of Blue-green algae remains in public conversation, it important to communicate the full story.
What is Blue-green algae?
Blue-green algae are natural inhabitants of many inland waters, estuaries and the sea. Although referred to as algae, they are a type of bacteria (known as cyanobacteria) with the ability to use the sun’s energy to make food in the same way that many plants do.
They may be found in suspension, attached to rocks and other surfaces at the bottom of shallow water bodies and along the edges of lakes and rivers. The term Blue-green algae includes a number of different species, all of which need nutrients — nitrates and phosphates — to grow.
If the water is enriched with nutrients and there is calm, sunny and warm weather conditions, then the growth may become excessive, resulting in algal blooms. These algal blooms cause the water to appear discoloured and can produce a musty odour.
Some blooms are capable of producing toxins. In their most dangerous form, both in quantity and species, blooms have caused death in cows, sheep and dogs that drink at the water’s edge. It was the death of several dogs at the beginning of June that first raised eyebrows about the algae in Northern Ireland.
What causes it and how to prevent it?
Whilst the causes of an algae bloom can be multiple, reports on this summer’s outbreak have tended to present it as “naturally occurring events that are associated with warmer conditions coupled with longer daylight hours”. The term ‘naturally occurring’ is slightly misleading, especially to the average reader. Whilst warmer conditions support rapid algae growth, they aren’t a primary cause of it.
In reality, a key contributor is agricultural runoff. Runoff happens when rain water, or water from irrigation, doesn’t sink into the soil for proper absorption. Instead, it moves over the ground, picking up natural and artificial pollutants along the way. This can include animal excreta, decaying organic matter and industrial or sewerage waste.
Eventually, contaminants get deposited into waterways, lakes, rivers and even underground sources of drinking water. Algae can then form by feeding off the this toxic cocktail of pollutants — including nitrates, phosphates and antibiotic resistant bacteria — which are carried by runoff.
Whilst water pollution is far from a new problem facing agriculture, it is something that has been exacerbated by the growth of industrial farming. On a UK scale, industrial livestock farming produces more than 50,000 tonnes of untreated excreta each day, the equivalent of well over 100 Double-decker buses per hour.
There’s no easy, straightforward way to solving the problems caused by agricultural runoff, especially as some things out of human control, such as heavier rainfall, can make it worse. However, the more that humans can do to minimize the issue — for example, being more mindful of techniques like irrigation and pesticide use, and preventing livestock camping near water supplies — the better.
Moreover, Sustain, an alliance for better food and farming, has called on councils to introduce local planning regulations to require all livestock developments to prove that they are contributing to reversing, rather than exacerbating, pollution and biodiversity decline.
These solutions may seem simple, yet they are incredibly difficult to implement on a comprehensive scale. They require both government commitment and funding, as well the buy-in of farmers to change their practices. Supporting the broader shift to sustainable farming, which is spearheaded in the UK by the Nature Friendly Farming Network, will be crucial to realising these solutions.
The need to reframe how we discuss the environment
It is not the purpose of this article to call for a radical change to farming. Although I do admit that it is suggested. Instead, the purpose is to appeal for a shift in how the media reports on environmental issues, such as, the emergence of Blue-Green algae.
Most articles on the topic have discussed how to protect yourself, or your pets, from the health impacts of water pollution. But there is little debate on how we can mitigate against these outbreaks becoming more common (and more dangerous). Unfortunately, it seems like this is yet another example of how the environment remains a side note for most media outlets in Northern Ireland (and beyond).
If ecological and climate breakdown is to be taken more seriously by the public, the media must begin to more accurately reflect the magnitude of what’s at stake. We must reframe the narrative, treat it like the emergency that it is, and work to better inform the public of the need to prioritise sustainability.
This means giving greater support for science, being more responsible when it comes to tackling misinformed opinions, and ensuring that environmental breakdown isn’t only a headline in the aftermath of an event or the centre of a political debate, but a mainstay in our daily discussions. This will help to embed sustainability within political and public discourse, and position it at the centre of policy-making that is supportive of both the conservation and restoration of our natural environment.
