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'AFTER 3 WEEK OF DE-CONTAMINATION WORK,
LOCAL PEOPLE CALL FOR ANSWERS ABOUT ASBESTOS SITE'
28th February 2005
Local people are still waiting for answers from Countryside Properties PLC
about the confirmation of exposed asbestos fibres in woodland of the Spodden
Valley.
This follows a denial on national radio last month by Countryside's Ian
Simpson that about a problem with exposed asbestos. When questioned by John
Waite on Radio 4's You and Yours Programme, Mr Simpson concluded that local
people were “wrong”. He added that all dumped asbestos on the site was
“capped”.
BBC Radio 4 has returned the asbestos factory site to update national
listeners about recent events and the calls for all facts about the site to
be made public.
Local people have repeatedly called for the exposed fibres to be
investigated
Following a recent meeting with Countryside Properties and site owner MMC
Developments, Jason Addy from Save Spodden Valley wrote to Mr Simpson
requesting permission to have site samples independently tested.
[a copy of this letter is available]
3 different areas around the site were suggested for testing:
1. From tree roots containing large clumps of exposed grey fibre. This is in
woodland about 100 metres from the proposed development site.
2. From soil disturbed by large-scale clear-felling of woodland in May 2004
– this is an area where a planning application has been made for housing.
3. Samples from crushed rubble from demolished parts of the former asbestos
factory.
A response to this request for independent testing is awaited. A short
letter from Countryside Properties was received recently saying that Mr
Simpson was on holiday.
Save Spodden Valley campaigners addressed the Parliamentary Asbestos
sub-committee at Westminster last week.
The meeting was attended by MP, Peers and a variety of national asbestos
experts. It was acknowledged that the former Turner Brothers Asbestos (TBA)
site in Rochdale is one of international significance given its history of
producing a material that has damaged the health of so many people. The
All-Party group received information on TBA documents that described the
asbestos dust levels and amounts of asbestos dumped by the factory during
its heyday in the 1950's and 1960's.
Recommendations were made to contact the Deputy Prime Minister to appoint a
Planning Inspector to consider the controversial planning application for
over 600 houses and a children's nursery for the site of what was the
world's largest asbestos factory.
Rochdale MP Lorna Fitzsimons also addressed the parliamentary sub-committee
and supporting the campaigning group's call for the Deputy Prime Minister to
be consulted.
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A SUMMARY OF RECENT EVENTS IN THE SPODDEN VALLEY…
Recently, the Rochdale Observer reported that “investigations” in woodland
had commenced.
On 8th February, local people spotted a de-contamination unit parked beside
woodland where exposed asbestos fibres have been found in upturned tree
roots.
When passers-by asked what was happening, Save Spodden Valley has been told
that a man wearing a jacket with a “MMC Estates” logo stated some very
controversial comments:
The MMC Estates worker has been reported as saying that the work going on in
the woodland amounted to clearing up “a bit of dumped rubbish”. It was
suggested that the material had come from local garages and had only just
become a problem. It was also suggested that the blame should be directed at
“local troublemakers” that “want to make the council look bad”.
Jason Addy from Save Spodden Valley has described the allegations made by an
MMC Estates worker as “bizarre and incredible” and has called for a full
explanation:
“To suggest that the exposed asbestos within the woodland is the result of
recent dumping is dangerously misleading."
“Although we don't know the context of these very odd comments, it may
reflect a wider problem of the developers still denying the potential
asbestos problems around the whole site."
“If the public are being misled, then what message does this send out about
the proposed development of the asbestos factory site? Rochdale Council, in
its UDP blueprint, has concluded that the whole site is contaminated and
that a permanent solution must be found to address it”.
Following calls to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), plastic hazard
tape was replaced by substantial protective fencing.
Events on site over the past 3 weeks indicate that this has turned into a
major clear up.
Former asbestos factory workers and older residents have described how the
whole hillside once formed one of several open tips that once littered the
site.
Workers in protective suits and masks have removed many dozens of special
sealed plastic bags marked “Crocidolite” (Blue Asbestos) and “Amosite”
(Brown Asbestos) – these are 2 of the most lethal forms of asbestos known to have been
processed at the Rochdale Factory.
As the work has progressed, more hazard markings and signs have appeared
around the site – although, oddly, some of these signs disappeared during
the weekend when most walkers, horse riders and cyclists pass by this area.
After 3 weeks, the decontamination work is still on-going and local people
are demanding answers.
Calls are being made to have all the facts about this work made public.
Questions include:
What was the type of fibre taken from upturned tree roots?
When was it dumped there?
How much dumped waste remains?
Which local and central government departments and agencies are responsible
for policing this site?
Local people still believe they are being kept in the dark about issues that
could have a profound effect on their health.
Save Spodden Valley have asked for all the facts about the site to be made
public so that safe decisions about development can be made:
“Rumour and speculation about this site is not helpful to anyone."
Local people are not NIMBYs- we have had this problem in our backyard for
decades.
We all want a permanent solution to the contamination issues of the whole
site. The actions of the developers for the past 9 months have done nothing
to inspire public confidence.
Let's have a full, thorough and open investigation of all the issues so that
we can all move forward with this.”
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STATEMENT ENDS
