It has been found that “dangerous” levels of drugs including MDMA and cocaine in Somerset’s Whitelake River which has been linked to Glastonbury Festival.
Researchers are concerned of the severe environmental impact this may have on the surrounding ecosystem as well as ongoing conservation efforts of rare European eels in the area.
As reported by BBC, the culprit of the contaminated lake is most likely public urination.
According to the study, MDMA concentrations detected had quadrupled the week after Glastonbury 2019.
Dr Christian Dunn from Bangor University said, “Our main concern is the environmental impact. This study identifies that drugs are being released at levels high enough to disrupt the lifecycle of the European eel.”
“We [also] need to raise awareness around drug and pharmaceutical waste – it is a hidden, worryingly-understudied yet potentially devastating pollutant.”
A spokesperson for the festival stated that the Environment Agency had reportedly not raised any of this at the time.
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A festival spokesperson said, “Protecting our local streams and wildlife is of paramount importance to us at Glastonbury Festival and we have a thorough and successful waterways sampling regime in place during each festival, as agreed with the Environment Agency.
“We are aware that the biggest threat to our waterways – and the wildlife for which they provide a habitat – comes from festivalgoers urinating on the land.”
“We are keen to see full details of this new research, and would be very happy to work with the researchers.”
The spokesperson has also stated that they do not condone the use of illicit drug use and also strongly discourage public urination at the festival.
