Bags containing cannabis production waste are often found in the River Sheaf, the Sheaf and Porter Rivers Trust says
Dozens of bin bags believed to contain waste from the production of cannabis have been found dumped in a river.
The discovery, in Sheffield’s River Sheaf on Monday, was just the latest such find in the last month, according to the Sheaf and Porter Rivers Trust.
The waste had since been cleared up by Sheffield’s River Stewardship, river warden Martin Stranex said.
South Yorkshire Police said it was investigating and asked for those with information to come forward.
The bin bags were found to contain compost and paraphernalia thought to have been used in the production of cannabis, as well as general rubbish, Mr Stranex, from the Sheaf and Porter Rivers Trust, said.
The dumped waste was “disappointing for people who had worked along the river in the past few years”, he said.
Mr Stranex added that it was becoming a common problem on rivers in Sheffield and elsewhere, with three similar fly-tipping incidents in the last month on the same stretch of river.
“It’s really bad between Duchess Road and Granville Square, with about 100 bags now thrown off the side of the bridge,” he said.
“It’s a particular problem in Sheffield where the River Sheaf outlet enters the River Don.
“But it happens elsewhere too: the upper River Sheaf near Totley, near Ringinglow, and also in Derbyshire, in the Peak District, and on the Snake Pass.”
The bags contained compost and paraphernalia thought to have been used in cannabis production, the trust says
Once such waste enters a large river it is very difficult to detect and retrieve and it eventually ends up in the North Sea, Mr Stranex said.
Residents living near the affected sites told the BBC they were “indignant” about what was a growing problem.
Some suggested CCTV cameras could be installed on nearby properties to help identify those responsible.
One person said: “There are no positives for the community. It’s stupid.”
Mr Stranex said he would speak to Sheffield City Council about funding preventative measures such as blocking roads.
The nature of the waste suggested large-scale cannabis growing was taking place in the Lower Sheaf Valley, he said.
Dr. Thomas Hughes is a UK-based scientist and science communicator who makes complex topics accessible to readers. His articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
