Glastonbury: drug traces from on-site urination could harm rare eels

[Judi Lynn]

Scientists found dangerous levels of MDMA in nearby River Whitelake after the festival

Laura Snapes
Tue 28 Sep 2021 01.01 EDT

Scientists have found what they called environmentally damaging levels of illegal drugs in the river running through Glastonbury festival owing to public urination on the site.

Researchers measured levels of illegal drugs in the river before, during and after the last Glastonbury festival, in 2019, comparing levels upstream and downstream of the event.

After the 2019 festival, drug levels in River Whitelake were high enough to harm aquatic wildlife, including a rare eel population, according to the report.

It found that the amount of MDMA was 104 times greater downstream than upstream in the weeks after the festival, rising to levels that could harm the life cycle of European eels, a protected species. Cocaine concentration was 40 times higher downstream, although the levels of cocaine were not considered harmful to aquatic life.

More:
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/sep/28/glastonbury-drug-traces-from-on-site-urination-could-harm-rare-eels

[SunSeeker]

1. Disgusting. The festival should provide sufficient Port-O-Potties or shut down.

[3catwoman3]

2. This is one of the stranger post titles...

…I have read here.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

3. The producers were live-streaming some of the music, too. nt

[Duppers]

4. Whoa!!!

But that's a LOT of people to gather in such a small area....

...the hugely-popular music festival is usually held with more than 200,000 attendees.

And I suppose most all of them were using some drugs.