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Archived press release

Filthy factories still pump out cancer-causing chemicals

27 July 2000

Over 10000 tonnes of cancer-causing chemicals are still spewed out by British factories every year, according to an analysis by Friends of the Earth of pollution data published today by the Environment Agency. The biggest polluters include household names such as ICI, Shell and Glaxo Wellcome (see table attached, together with tables on releases of acid rain gases and dioxins).

The Pollution Inventory is being launched by Environment Minister Michael Meacher MP and Chairman of the Environment Agency, Sir John Harman. Friends of the Earth is criticising the Pollution Inventory for being “meaningless to everyone except a few boffins” because of its complexity, its lack of league tables and its failure to provide health information. Friends of the Earth is committed to undertaking a complete analysis of this huge data set to produce league tables of the worst polluters and to let people know about the health threats associated with the chemicals released.

Mike Childs, Factory Watch Campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said:

    “ Michael Meacher has fought hard to meet Labour's Election promise to give people a decent right to know what pollution is released into their area. Unfortunately the Environment Agency is letting him down badly by releasing pollution data in a way that its about as meaningful to most people as the Albanian telephone directory. Friends of the Earth's is committed to providing this information in a way that is meaningful and understandable to people, such as league tables with health information. Our first analysis of the data shows that thousands of tonnes of cancer-causing chemicals are being released by Britain's biggest factories and although pollution levels are down, the quantity of pollution pouring into people's neighbourhoods and homes is still worryingly high. It's high time the Environment Agency got its act together, told the people the truth about pollution in simple terms, and cracked down on the worst offenders.”