- Target:
- Scottish Government
- Region:
- United Kingdom
- Website:
- www.briandocherty.org
The associated health risks of living in close proximity to Biomass Waste incinerators is well documented. Scientific studies have detailed evidence proving that cancers, tumours, respiratory problems, infant birth defects, headaches and mood swings are linked to the toxic emissions from these plants to name but a few health effects.
A study conducted on 70 municipal waste incinerators in the UK operating between 1974 and 1987, and 307 hospital waste incinerators from 1953 to 1980, identified a 2-fold increase in the deaths from cancer of children living nearby. These results were consistent with a second study showing increased child cancers from hospital incinerators and large scale, high temperature combustion industries (study dates 1998
and 2000).
· In 1996, a study on residents living in an urban area near an incinerator in Italy found a 6.7-fold increase in deaths from lung cancer.
· A study in 1989 on people working at a Swedish incinerator between 1920 and 1985 found a 3.5-fold increase in deaths from lung cancer, and a 1.5-fold increase in deaths from cancer of the oesophagus. The same study also found an excess of ischemic heart disease, especially in workers with more than 40 years exposure.
Most recently in a study by Dr Jeremy Thompson and Dr Honor Anthony entitled The Health Effects of Waste Incinerators they found:
There have been five reports of increases in congenital birth defects abnormalities around incinerators. Most of these deformed babies were born in an area corresponding to wind-flow from the incinerator and other defects included hypospadius and spina bifida.
The chance of dying from cancer at the turn of the 20th century was 1 in 33. It is now 1 in 4. WHO data has demonstrated that 80% of cancers are due to environmental influences, and evidence from migrant studies confirms that it is mainly the environment rather than the genes that determine the cancer risk.
(Detailed health risks and scientific studies of those most at risk available from website)
This petition wants to protect the health and well being of people over profit.
We, the undersigned, call on the Scottish Government to consider the health risks caused by Biomass Waste Incinerators. We the people urge the government to rethink their energy agenda by putting people's health before profit.
If these plants have to be built, we implore the government not to allow these plants to be built in close proximity to communities and to tightly regulate and monitor air quality effected by particle dioxins and other air pollutants from these plants which result in serious ill health.
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The Stop The Biomass Plant in Dundee petition to Scottish Government was written by BrianDocherty and is in the category Health at GoPetition.