The problem of clearing litter from the River Ancholme in Brigg could be solved by a specialist firm.
It has the know-how, experience and equipment and preliminary talks have been held with Brigg Town Council.
It is now a question of whether the company decides to quote for the job and whether the price is right.
Meanwhile, Town Clerk Jeanette Woollard is to investigate whether North Lincolnshire Council would be willing to dispose of litter collected from the river.
There is general concern about the amount of litter that collects in the river – particularly when it gets tangled up with the summer covering of weed.
Brigg Town Council will still be undertaking its annual spring clean and collection of litter from the riverbank and towpath. This will be on Saturday, May 26 – one week before the Diamond Jubilee weekend.
Volunteers are needed. If you feel you can help, please email the council - enquiries@briggmarkettown.co.uk
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The 'litter' could make good compost.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, the dense, rootless, floating duck-weed that tends to invade the Ancholme could make a high-protein cash crop.
If it persists, it could be farmed for both human and animal consumption - in that way, it's a win-win situation...it offers a free food supply and keeps the river clear.
Can I just ask are there any companies that do this kind of clearing?
ReplyDeleteDon't know of any specific company, but the Environment Agency may be able to help.
ReplyDeleteIt is certainly harvested in SE Asia and both the US and Australia are beginning to establish aquatic-duckweed farms.
It's a free cash-crop that is waiting to harvested.
It can and is used as a food in poultry farms; it can been feed to pigs and other farm animals; it can be used as a bio-fuel and if added to salads can make a tasty addition.
It's protein value is much higher that cereal and contains important amino acids.
I wouldn't be surprised if a duck-weed cropping company evolves regionally during the next few, or so years.....crops could be harvested from local rivers, ponds and transported to processing plants/farms to be fed back into the animal feed industries, as well as the super-market chains.
This is a multi-million pound industry just waiting to happen.
In the meantime, there is nothing to stop the EA, (who seem to one of only a few agencies that had appropriate 'cropping' equipment) for example, of investigating whether the animal feed industries would buy the cropped duckweed rather than just letting it rot.