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17 May 2000
A report by the USA Environmental Protection Agency - leaked to the Washington Post and covered on their front page today - reveals that dioxins may be responsible for up to 10 per cent of cancers.The report will further expose the folly of Government plans for scores more incinerators, likely to revealed next week in their much delayed waste strategy.
Richard Clapp, a cancer epidemiologist at Boston University's School of Public Health, is reported as saying of dioxin that “ its the Darth Vader of toxic chemicals because it affects so many systems[of the body].” Dioxins is one of the compounds released by incinerators burning household wastes.
The UK currently dumps most household waste in landfill sites, a practice which is being phased out by EU law. The Government is expected to announce that it will increase recycle a third of household waste and burn a third by 2020. However they are not expected to announce any new money for local authorities to set up recycling schemes. The UK has one of the worst recycling records in Europe(league tables available). Friends of the Earth has identified the likely locations for the new incinerators and has vowed to help communities fight the Government's plans (attached).
Sarah Oppenheimer, Waste Campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said:
“ This new American report is extremely
worrying. It shows that dioxins pose an unacceptable threat to public
health. Government plans to build scores of new incinerators will make
this situation work. It's time the Government abandoned its plans to burn
our waste and instead concentrated on providing people with a decent,
convenient recycling and composting service.”
NOTES TO EDITORS:
[1] Washington Post article:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A13908-2000May16.html
Contact details:
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Tel: 020 7490 1555
Fax: 020 7490 0881
Web: www.foe.co.uk/feedback.html
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