TBA rubble removal dialogue - furtive handling?

Questions have been asked and criticism aired about the subsequently aborted intent to remove rubble from the former Turner Brothers Asbestos site last week. Save Spodden Valley campaigners are concerned that they received an RMBC press release just 24 hours before 1200 tonnes of asbestos factory rubble was due to be disturbed and removed, with assurances about safety that cannot be confirmed. 

Save Spodden Valley Co-ordinator Jason Addy said: "The manner in which this has been handled appears furtive."

As the site has received international attention he said he had expected that all activity in the Spodden Valley would be conducted in an open and accountable manner. This does not appear to have happened.

Mr Addy commented: "It seems that few lessens been learnt since the last pile of TBA asbestos factory rubble was driven through Heywood in November 2005."

Back then, Tony Blair was lost for words in Parliament:

www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/News/spodden_news.asp?ID=1067

Mr Addy explained: "Even after the Prime Minister’s intervention last year, documents such as test results and risk assessments have been kept secret. Requests under the Freedom of Information Act have been denied. 

"Despite all the hard work by Councillors, MPs and MEPs to gain commitments for ‘joined-up thinking’ with open and accountable decision making, the events of last week suggest that history is repeating itself. 

"Unfortunately, it appears that different local and central government agencies are passing the buck and keeping elected representatives in the dark. Perhaps this may turn out to be an unfair comment, but this is the impression many have at the moment about recent events. 

"MMC Estates sent an email on Friday night (20 October), apparently by mistake, stating that the ‘crush’ rubble was to be moved in the week commencing 23 October.  

"It appears that there had been some dialogue between the site owners, RMBC, the HSE, Federal Mogul and the Environment Agency. Yet there had been no notice whatsoever to the Ward Councillors (one of the Ward councillors – Alan Taylor is also Leader of the Council). 

"Also kept in the dark were the TBA Health amp; Safety Working Group and the MPs whose constituencies the wagons are to be driven through. It appears that no prior information was given to Councillor Wera Hobhouse, the Portfolio Holder with responsibilities over Environmental Health, Contaminated Land and Waste. 

"Tuesday’s short press release, issued by Rochdale Council Press Office stated that the rubble was to be moved the following day (25 October):

www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/News/spodden_news.asp?ID=2324

"In adjournment debates in Parliament, Paul Rowen and Jim Dobbin have raised the need for all the facts about the TBA site’s health and safety issues to be fully scrutinised.

"Thanks to Paul Rowen, progress was made with the commissioning and publication of the Atkins Report- an independent assessment of the whole site with detailed recommendations for testing procedures and best practice for public health.

"To find out that decisions have been made behind closed doors and without regard to the Atkins Report is, quite frankly, an insult to Rochdale Council Taxpayers and all those who have put their faith in the consultation process.

"What tests have been conducted? When were they done? Why was there no notice or opportunity to check testing methods and results? 

"It may be that the testing was thorough and the risk for asbestos contamination minimal- if so what is there to hide? Why not be up front with all the information and shout it from the rooftops?  

"It has been suggested that workers will not be issued with respiratory protection, yet the test results and methodology, secondary samples, Risk Assessments and Method Statements have not been made public.  

"References in the Council press release to “visual checks to ensure that there are no unacceptable materials or evidence of more serious contamination buried underneath” is farcical. 

"As has been demonstrated in the past, hazardous waste is classified when contamination exceeds 0.1% weight by weight. That is equivalent to one teaspoon of dust to a bucketful of rubble. Lesser levels of asbestos in rubble can still be a hazard. How can somebody check this stood next to a JCB as the rubble is disturbed?

"A request for information, under the Environmental Information Regulations, has been lodged with Rochdale Council.   

"By the time some of the facts are made public –the rubble may have been removed and dumped in a waste site in Heywood.

"None of this bodes well for the future. The 1200 tonnes pile of rubble is a mere molehill when considering the mountain of potential environmental problems in the Spodden Valley.

"Please, for the sake of this and future generations of Rochdalians – this must be done properly."