Archived press release

Big cuts in cancer gases achieved

6 March 2002

The amount of cancer-causing chemicals being released by Britain's biggest factories has fallen by almost 40 per cent over the last three years according to an analysis of official pollution data by Friends of the Earth, published today. But the figures also reveal that over 9,000 tonnes of cancer causing gases are still released. Seventy per cent of the pollution is released by just 10 factories (see table).

Friends of the Earth is calling for:

• the Environment Agency immediately to target the largest releases of cancer gases so that further substantial cuts can be made in the next few years;
• the Government to set health based air quality standards for the chemicals released in greatest quantities by factories; and
• the Government to amend draft guidance to the Agency to give it a specific duty to consider health impacts as part of its work and allow it to take precautionary action where necessary. The Government's current draft guidance does not mention health impacts and demands that Agency carry out a cost benefit analysis before it forces companies to clean-up. Putting a price on the health impacts from chemicals is virtually impossible.

The factory with the largest release of cancer gases is Ineos Chlor in Runcorn, Cheshire. The company has recently asked the Government for £300 million of tax payers money to help update its outdated and polluting equipment. Other companies have made substantial cuts without government help.

In 1998 Friends of the Earth launched its Factory Watch Campaign, calling for an 80 per cent cut in releases of cancer gases by 2005. The Factory Watch Campaign web site (www.foe.co.uk/factorywatch) enables people to check health threatening pollution from factories in their own area. It is based on the Environment Agency's Pollution Inventory which details chemicals released from factories but does not provide easily understandable information on health impacts. Friends of the Earth is a keen supporter of the Pollution Inventory but is pushing for it to include better health information and details on releases from transport and smaller factories.

Mike Childs, Senior Pollution Campaign at Friends of the Earth, said:

“The fall in cancer-causing gases is very good news and shows that pollution can be reduced without costing jobs. However much work still needs to be done. The Government must instruct the Environment Agency to focus its efforts on health threatening pollution and free it to take precautionary action where necessary. It mustn't tie the Agency's hands by forcing it to jump through bureaucratic hoops and play at Alice in Wonderland economics.”

Releases of recognised carcinogens, 1998 - 2000

Note that some companies have changed hands since 1998. The table above uses the current names and has compared the same industrial processes during the three years. Three companies moved out of the top 10 during this period:

• Huntsman Petrochemicals, N Tees, TS2 1T: 291 tonnes in 1998, 213 in 1999, 174 in 2000. A reduction of 40 per cent.
• Fine Organics, N Tees, TS2 1UB: 308 tonnes in 1998, 103 in 1999, 153 in 2000. A reduction of 50 per cent.
• European Vinyls, Thornton Clevelys, FY5 4QD: 581 tonnes in 1998, 181 tonnes in 1999, 51 tonnes in 2000. A reduction of 90 per cent- note that one process closed during 2000.

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust