The House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee is holding its first evidence session in its nitrates inquiry tomorrow when the Committee will hear rom academics and Environment groups.

The EAC launched its inquiry into nitrates pollution in December to consider the nature, scale and impacts of nitrate pollution in the UK on the environment and human life. It will also review the Government’s approach to the regulation of the chemicals concerned and its approach to reducing them.

Concerns have been growing on nitrate usage and pollution: in 2014, 78% of surface and groundwater bodies in the UK failed to meet the ‘good’ ecological status prescribed by the EU Water Frameworks Directive.

In 2008, the EU gave the UK a final warning over its poor performance on nitrates and in 2015, the EU referred the UK to the European Court of Justice for its poor waste water collection and treatment.

Nitrate pollution is currently regulated by the European Union. Experts have said this regulation will be at risk when European laws are rolled over into domestic legislation in 2019.

Experts appearing before the Committee tomorrow are:

• Professor David Reay, Chair in Carbon Management, University of Edinburgh
• Professor Robert Ward, Director of Science, British Geological Survey
• Professor Helen Jarvie, Principal Scientist Hydrochemistry, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
• Professor Penny Johnes, Professor of Biogeochemistry, University of Bristol
• David Johnson, Director of the Rivers Trust, representing Wildlife and Countryside link
• Will Andrews Tipper, Head of Natural Environment, Green Alliance

Nitrates are damaging to the environment - once they are released in water, they intensify the growth of algae, a process known as eutrophication, which leads to a shortage of oxygen in the water.Nitrates are mainly produced for fertilisers, but also come from air pollution, sewage and mining.

The Committee is calling for evidence on the scale of the nitrate pollution in the UK and the solutions the UK government should implement.

Mary Creagh, Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee, said:

"Healthy rivers are necessary for food production, water and the economy. Nitrate chemicals from farm fertilisers are building up in the ground beneath our feet. If they are released into waterways, experts warn they will devastate our marine life, our fresh water supply and cost billions to clean up. Our inquiry will look at the scale of the problem and what the Government should be doing about it."