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Locals say textile factories illegally dump chemicals into the river at night and some nearby village wells contain four times the recommended safe levels of mercury. Pictured front is Herman's 13-year-old son, Alex; at the back is TV reporter Seyi Rhodes.
If it were not for his boat, you would think this fisherman was sitting on a landfill site.

In fact, he is trawling the river for waste plastic to help him eke out a living.

Once a tropical paradise, the Citarum in Java, Indonesia, is now said to be the dirtiest river in the world.

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Once a tropical paradise, the Citarum in Java, Indonesia, is now said to be the dirtiest river in the world.
Clogged with household waste, toxic chemicals dumped by textile factories and dead animals, it has lost 60 per cent of its fish stocks.

But more than 35million people still rely on it for drinking and washing.


The fisherman in the picture, called Herman, told Channel 4's Unreported World, which airs tonight: 'I don't catch fish any more ... they're floating on the surface ... I'm sure everyone knows the result of dumping rubbish like this. There are rules, but nobody is enforcing them.'

Locals say textile factories illegally dump chemicals into the river at night and some nearby village wells contain four times the recommended safe levels of mercury.

At times, the water turns red, green, yellow and black because of the high concentration of dyes.
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At times, the water turns red, green, yellow and black because of the high concentration of dyes. It has been linked with increased cancer rates, as well as skin diseases, mental illness and slow development among local children.
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There are claims some high street brands could be partly to blame for the torrent of pollution.
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The fisherman at the front of the boat, called Herman, told Channel 4's Unreported World, which airs tonight: 'I don't catch fish any more... they're floating on the surface... I'm sure everyone knows the result of dumping rubbish like this. There are rules, but nobody is enforcing them'.
It has been linked with increased cancer rates, as well as skin diseases, mental illness and slow development among local children.

There are claims some high street brands could be partly to blame for the torrent of pollution.
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Clogged with household waste, toxic chemicals dumped by textile factories and dead animals, the river has lost 60 per cent of its fish stocks.
The TV programme does not name any high street clothing chains who use textile manufacturers on the river.

However, a Greenpeace report last year claimed one of the largest textile manufacturers on the Citarum - PT Gistex Group - has had a 'business relationship' with Gap, H&M and Adidas.

The charity found the manufacturer's wastewater contained high doses of several toxic substances.

Unreported World, The World's Dirtiest River, airs on Channel 4 at 7.30pm tonight.