The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has expressed his disappointment that Council officers have yet to formally respond to his call to reduce the pollution caused by the micro-plastics in road paint.

Last month, Councillor Sykes wrote to Helen Lockwood, the Council’s Executive Director Economy, Skills & Neighbourhoods drawing her attention to research late last year by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.

The Centre reported that Britain’s rivers and lakes are being polluted with micro-plastics from the paint used to lay out road markings.  Researchers looked at four sites in the Thames Valley.  In the most polluted site they found a significant proportion of pollution believed to have derived from plastic paint washed from road surfaces.

Commenting Councillor Sykes said: “I am aware that Councils are required to use British Standard road marking paint to adhere to strict road safety specifications, but I would like to be assured that we are doing what we can to reduce this pollution as it appears to have real potential to impact on aquatic life and habitats in this Borough.

“I know that the Local Government Association is considering this matter and we should be supporting their efforts to persuade Government and manufacturers to reduce the use of micro-plastics in such paint and develop safe alternatives so that our environment is not damaged in the interests of road safety.”