SARNO

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The Sarno, known as Sarnus to the Romans, is a stream that passes through Pompeii to the south of the Italian city of Naples. It is considered the most polluted river in Europe. It flows about 24 kilometres (15 mi) from the base of Mt. Sarno to the Bay of Naples collecting water from the Solofrana and Cavaiola tributaries during the course of its flow.

It is still partially used for irrigation, as well as the transportation of goods and fishing. It is part of the Sarno river basin, which covers about 715 square kilometres (276 sq mi).

The Sarno is one the most polluted rivers in Europe, due to agricultural waste and insufficiently treated industrial waste water.

There are about 500 small industrial units in the area which still emit pollution. Water treatment plants have been installed, however, they do not work to full capacity. The mouth of the river continues to make bathing in the sea impossible, despite numerous protests.

The pollution flows into the Mediterranean Sea, contaminating the fish that are then caught by local fishermen. Probably in contravention of European health and safety legislation, and probably rendering carcinogenic, the sardines and other seafood products that are exported to the rest of the world. We would suggest that the source of fish and the pollution levels of the fishery where the catch originated, should be printed on seafood product exports.

The plain at the mouth of the river was the site of the Battle of the Sarno, fought in 1460.

Around ninety percent (90%) of plastics in the ocean comes from just 10 rivers. Nine of these rivers are located in Asia and one of them borders Thailand.

The top 10 most polluted rivers in the world have one thing in common – they are located alongside large human populations with poor waste management (PWM) systems.

OCEAN CLEANUP - Rivers are a major source of plastic waste in the oceans. We estimate that 1000 rivers, represented by the red dots, are accountable for nearly 80% of global annual riverine plastic emissions, which range between 0.8 – 2.7 million metric tons per year, with small urban rivers amongst the most polluting. The remaining 20% of plastic emissions are distributed over 30,000 rivers, represented by smaller blue dots.

Every year the world, produces 300 million tonnes of plastics, and 8.8 million tonnes of these are dumped into the oceans. That’s about 40 billion plastic bottles, 100 billion single-use plastic bags, and 522 million personal care items.

If you know a seriously polluted river, or one that should be a candidate on a bigger list, please contact Cleaner Ocean Foundation.

The rivers noted, added to hundreds of other lesser contributors feed the five ocean gyres to poison marine life and cover the seabed in a mountain of plastic.

1. North Atlantic Gyre

2. South Atlantic Gyre

3. Indian Ocean Gyre

4. North Pacific Gyre

5. South Pacific Gyre

JAMBECK 2010 - Global map with each country shaded according to the estimated mass of mismanaged plastic waste [millions ofmetric tons (MT)] generated in 2010 by populations living within 50 km of the coast. 192 countries were considered. Countries not included in the study are shaded white.

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