Ribble Valley, Lancashire (Map 3)
My study in June 1995 in the Ribble Valley, Lancashire, revealed a sharp rise in incidence of inhalers taken to primary schools in Clitheroe (with temperature inversions), and northeastwards into the Forest of Bowland and as far as Gisburn
(Map 3). From an ambient rate of zero to five percent, we noted a higher band of 7.9 to 15.3 percent in relation to the cement works. This cement works began burning waste SLF mixes in 1992. The upwind village of Waddington had a rate of 2.9 percent usage, whilst near the chimneys, the Brookside school reveals a rate of 15.3 percent usage of inhalers, with a peak of 22 percent of 8 and 9 year olds. A survey of SO2 levels by HMIP in March 1995 showed that no emissions from the cement works, near Clitheroe, were reaching Waddington, the Forest of Bowland was receiving emissions two or three days weekly, whereas Clitheroe was suffering daily. A milk dioxin level survey by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries (MAFF) revealed low levels at Waddington but levels four times higher at Clitheroe.
An analysis of prescribing for asthma by a large Clitheroe practice showed a steep rise following the switch of fuel at the cement works, including a 50 percent rise in steroid inhalers, 25 percent rise in oral steroids with 12 percent rise of total prescriptions. This again correlates with a rise in heavy metal emissions from the cement works including an 800 percent rise in nickel emissions. In August 1995 near Brookside mobile monitoring of PM10 particles revealed a peak of 490 ugm/m3 compared with a peak of 75 ugm/m3 at Waddington school. Unusually there had been easterly winds. Even NPL staff suffered health damage.
Lord Earl Ferrers, Environment Minister, has written that plume grounding at Clitheroe is not in dispute. Temperature inversions are more frequent at Clitheroe because it lies in a valley, averaging 16 days a month. In 1995 conditions were so dangerous that the Environment Agency (ex HMIP) declined to publish the results of the cement works chimney emissions onto the public register. The Public Health Department discovered that deaths in people under 75 years of age in four Clitheroe wards had risen to 40 percent above the national average, and a repeat primary school asthma inhaler usage survey around 1st October 1996 showed a steep rise in the local schools to almost double the 1995 figures, for example Chatburn school had risen from 10.8 percent in June 1995 to 19.0 percent October 1996, St James Clitheroe from 10.2 percent to 14.2 percent and Bolton by Bowland (zero until 1990) from 7.9 percent to 10.2 percent. By comparison Great Harwood school (industrialised Accrington, outside Ribble Valley) is 9.3 percent, and Barnoldswick, protected from the cement works by Pendle Hill, has a rate of only 3.8 percent. Even Waddington was affected by easterly winds and the rate doubled from 2.9 to 5.8 percent. This shows, I believe, that the effects of SLF burning plant emissions are cumulative, even from sub-lethal prolonged exposure. For example their lead, industrial solvent and halogenated hydrocarbon content are cardiotoxic quite apart from other health damage.
