Housing, Dundee Contract Services And Environment Services Committee - 18/12/2000

At a MEETING of the ENVIRONMENTAL AND CONSUMER PROTECTION COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 18th December 2000.

Present:-

COUNCILLORS

Councillor GLEN, Convener, in the Chair.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I BALDOVIE INCINERATOR

The Committee noted that this meeting had been requisitioned in terms of Standing Order No 49(2) by Councillors J Barrie, D Beattie, R Beattie, D Bowes, J Corrigan, A Dawson, J FitzPatrick, E Fordyce, K Guild, A Petrie and W Sawers in order that the Committee could discuss whether the recent scientific report in the American Journal of Epidemiology had implications for Dundee with regard to pollution having emanated from the Old Baldovie Incinerator.

The Convener, seconded by Councillor Rolfe, moved that it be remitted to the Chief Executive to seek a meeting with Friends of the Earth, Dr Fiona Williams of the Department of Public Health and Epidemiology of the University of Dundee, Dr Mike Rowarth, Public Health Specialist at Tayside Health Board, representatives from Douglas community, Broughty Ferry Community Council and a City Council cross party delegation comprising three Labour Members, two SNP Members, one Conservative Member and the Independent Member, plus the Chief Executive, Director of Environmental and Consumer Protection and Director of Support Services, in order to clarify any issues following on the recent publication of an article in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

As an amendment, Councillor Barrie, seconded by Councillor Corrigan, moved that this Committee notes with concern the findings of research carried out by Professor Viel and published in the American Journal of Epidemiology linking low dose exposure to dioxins emanating from the Municipal Waste Incinerator at Besanon with significant increases in Soft Tissue Sarcoma and Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma in clusters around the Incinerator.

This Committee further notes that the level of dioxins produced by the French Incinerator was found to be 16.3ng I-TEQ/m3, roughly half the 33.6ng and 26.1ng I-TEQ/m3 reported emissions from the Old Baldovie Incinerator.

This Committee believes that this new information brings into question its previous decision not to instruct a Health Study into any links between emissions from the old incinerator and health problems in the surrounding areas. It is, however, recognised that Professor Viel's research will allow for a more concise health study than would previously have been possible, narrowing the data to be collated to Soft Tissue Sarcoma and Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

The Committee resolves to set up a Sub-Committee comprising three Administration, two Major Opposition, one Minor Opposition and the Independent Member.

The remit of the Sub-Committee will be to investigate the best way forward to instruct a Health Study to identify if there is a similar cancer cluster pattern associated with Baldovie as was found at Besanon.

The Sub-Committee will meet in public and take representations from all concerned parties to ensure public confidence in the resulting study.

The Sub-Committee will hold its meetings at the Douglas Neighbourhood Centre to ensure maximum public access to concerned individuals living in the areas surrounding Baldovie.

The Sub-Committee will hold its first meeting no later than 17th January 2001 and should bring recommendations for a Health Study before the March meeting of the Environmental and Consumer Protection Committee.

On a division, there voted for the motion - the Convener, Lord Provost Wright and Councillors de Gernier, Letford, Ward, Shimi, Presswood, Regan, Farquhar, Luke, Sturrock, Grant, Rolfe, Mackie, Wallace and Scott (16); and for the amendment - Councillors Barrie, Richard Beattie, Dawson, Sawers, FitzPatrick, Petrie, Guild, Corrigan, Dave Beattie, Fordyce, Bowes and Borthwick (12) - whereupon the motion was declared carried.

NEIL GLEN, Convener.