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Piles of crushed asbestos factory of immediate concern...

Save Spodden Valley | 26.04.2005 14:32 | Ecology | Health | Social Struggles | World

Spodden Valley, Rochdale:

Official concern has been raised about large piles of crushed rubble on the site of the former Turner Brothers asbestos factory.



The piles of rubble are believed to be the crushed remains of the asbestos weaving areas and the office block demolished in 2003.

The largest pile of crushed rubble is approximately 20 feet high with a base of approximately 70 feet by 50 feet. Councillors at a recent TBA Working Party meeting were shocked to hear that the developers and environmental surveyors of the asbestos factory site say they did not know anything about piles of crushed asbestos factory rubble.

Countryside Properties director Ian Simpson and Managing Director of the environmental consultancy company Encia were questioned repeatedly about the way the crushed rubble is being disturbed by JCB digger and loaded into open wagons. It has been seen being driven off-site and driven through the streets of Rochdale to unknown destinations. Photographs taken of the rubble being disturbed show workers not wearing masks as fine dust is created.

Jason Addy of campaigning group Save Spodden Valley questioned the senior managers’ lack of knowledge about the piles of crushed asbestos factory:

“We have spoken to Countryside Properties and MMC Estates about this rubble at a face-to-face meeting. We wrote to Mr Simpson of Countryside Properties in February asking for permission to test the rubble for asbestos content- this request was refused”.

“I cannot understand why Encia say they do not know about the huge pile of crushed asbestos factory- they are the company that submitted an environmental report about the factory site with the planning application. How can they miss something so big?”

“The buildings that have been crushed into rubble employed people that have since died of the asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma. Archived company papers show that dust was present in the air of whole factory complex. Our concern is that the cavities and inner fabric of these buildings may have been riddled with decades of fine asbestos dust and fibre. Asbestos fibres are miniscule- 2 million can fit on a pinhead. People who have only worked in the office of Turners have died from mesothelioma. We think this rubble should be treated with the utmost care and respect.

Councillor Tom Stott Chair of the TBA working party is to write formally to the site’s owners and developers:

“All we are asking for are some simple facts- does this rubble contain asbestos or not? Has this fact been established before unprotected workers have disturbed the rubble and driven it through the streets of Rochdale in uncovered wagons? Where is this rubble going to?”

Christine Arrowsmith, Chairman of Rochdale Primary Care Trust Patient and Public Involvement in Health Forum, has also written to express the Forum’s concern about the health hazards of crushed asbestos factory rubble.

Ken Smith, Rochdale Council’s Head of Planning and Regulation is also in discussion with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) regarding recent activity on the former asbestos factory site.


Save Spodden Valley
- e-mail: SaveSpoddenValley@hotmail.com
- Homepage: http://www.Spodden-Valley.co.uk

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Comments

Hide the following 2 comments

I'm not an expert but can offer some advice

27.04.2005 01:19

It looks like they are trying to 'get away with it'. Most people in the demolition industry are unaware of the hazards they face. There are recipricol interests within the HSE, the Environment Agency and local authorities. 'Time is money','Who wants the paperwork', and 'Lets get it out of here before anyone notices'. They will probably hope that by time you bring this to the attention of the public they will have shifted it. I believe that you have a very legitimate cause for concern. There have been several cases of large scale illness being caused by lorries removing hazardous waste. You could take your own sample and get it analysed independently. You will need the best DIY
face mask you can find, disposable overalls (optional), a roll of tape, water. The most important point with asbestos is to stop it entering the lungs. This can be done by keeping it wet. Go to the site, put the face mask on, pour water on some of the debris,put a spoonfull into a see through bag (e.g.bank bags used for change), tape the end of the bag up, wash it. Put this bag into another bag and tape up. Take your clothes and shoes off outside the house,if you can (leave them there until it rains, then wash) have a wash. Get it analysed. Go to the local newspaper, mp? If you want anymore advice or clarification add a comment.

previous experience


They are at it again?!!!

18.05.2005 02:36


Encia (the developers' consultants) said on 12.5.05 that they have tested the rubble for asbestos fibre and they conclude (suprise suprise) it is "negative".

We understand that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)laboratory (HSL) have tested the rubble and conclude there are 'traces' of asbestos in the rubble. (we have not got these test results because the appropriate eay to obtain them is through a Freedom of Information Act request.

(Welcome to the bizarre world of having to have telephaphic powers to find out that something has happened in order to be able to ask for information about it?!)

This photograph was taken on Sunday 15th May 2005. This removal of dry, dusty asbestos factory rubble rubble had been apparently going on all weekend. This is despite assurances by Countryside Properties/MMC Developments Ltd that all disturbance of rubble had stopped.

The trailers full of asbestos factory rubble such as in the photo had to go past company 'security'. Yet it was allowed to go onto the streets of Rochdale, and beyond.

As this was going on the developers had applied for an 'emergency' closure of over half a mile of public right of way/cyclepath for up to 19 months- all because it was alledged about a bucketfull of potentially asbestos-contaminated soil had been removed from the site without the authority of the landowners?

Nonsense!

600+ homes and a children's nursery planned for this site- the world's largest asbestos textile factory with all this 'odd stuff' going on?

Please help us!!!!!

Save Spodden Valley
mail e-mail: savespoddenvalley@hotmail.com
- Homepage: http://www.Spodden-Valley.co.uk


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