Overview

We depend on natural resources such as clean air, water and land to meet our basic needs and ensure good health, to enable food production, to provide raw materials for building and manufacturing and to support recreation. Many human activities cause the depletion and degradation of these resources and economic growth has historically been linked to increased consumption of natural resources and the production of pollution and waste; this link needs to be broken.

Swansea’s industrial past together with population growth has put pressure on natural resources but most of our watercourses, coastal waters and much contaminated land have been dramatically improved in recent years. However, more work is needed and we must continue to monitor and maintain vigilance against new sources of pollution. We must also prepare for the likely effects of climate change on water supply, flood risk and soil erosion.

Most manufacturing processes and the use of everyday materials inevitably create waste and unwanted by-products. If not dealt with effectively, these can have detrimental and longterm effects on our environment. We must find ways to use resources more efficiently, recover and reuse whatever we can and dispose of what is left safely and locally. Illegal waste disposal and fly-tipping are costly and dangerous practices and need to be eliminated.