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Unsafe asbestos levels discovered
Bethan Dorsett16/ 8/2005
LEVELS of asbestos up to 23 times the limit regarded as safe by the government's heath watchdog have been found in soil samples taken from the former Turner Brother's site.
Campaigners are now calling for an independent government inquiry after tests found levels of the potentially deadly fibres were 23 and 13 times above the Health and Safety Executive's limit in two soil samples taken just off the road through the site leading to the bowling green and from a car park close to where developers propose to put a nursery.
The survey was carried out by environmental experts Encia who were hired by developers wishing to build 600 homes and a business park on the site.
Campaign group Save Spodden Valley says it will be calling on the Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott to hold a public inquiry after the latest findings.
Spokesman Jason Addy said: "These levels of asbestos are highly significant and are an insight into just how contaminated the whole site may be. This needs to go to a government inspector and we are asking the office of the Deputy Prime Minister to step in.
"We want a full public inquiry. This could be a heavily contaminated site and the people of Rochdale deserve the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth."
The Health and Safety Executive's limit for asbestos contamination before waste is deemed hazardous is 0.1 per cent but the tests show 1.3 per cent and 2.3 per cent asbestos in two samples, a massive 13 and 23 times the recommended limit.
Developers Countryside Properties and MMC Developments initially revealed there were small traces of asbestos in the soil when submitting the first draft of their planning application.
They then revealed there was exposed asbestos on the site in February, after residents had raised concerns about fibres seen hanging from the roots of trees to the north of the site.
Councillor Tom Stott, one of a six-strong working party looking into contamination fears, says he has been concerned about the presence of asbestos in rubble on the site for some time.
He said: "I have been constantly asking questions about the rubble, especially about where it would go to.
"It is obvious to most people that there is asbestos in the rubble because the site had been producing asbestos for over 100 years, so these tests prove what we have known all along.
"What we need is open and transparent behaviour from the developers."
The Observer asked Countryside and MMC to comment, but they had not done so as we went to press.
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3/09/2005 at 07:49
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