Here's an interesting story from the Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News today, concerning a dioxin problem down Halton way - thanks to Weekly News' editor Rob Hopkins for alerting me to the piece....
Exclusive by Mark Smith
FIDDLERâÂÂS Ferry power station has rejected claims that it could be to blame for toxic chemicals found in the boroughâÂÂs wildlife.
MP Mike Hall said he is seeking answers from Environment Secretary Hilary Benn after an alarming report was brought to his attention by Halton environmental campaigners.
The report, compiled by Defra in 2003, found almost five times the toxic level of cancer causing dioxin in samples of heron eggs taken from Runcorn.
The report was part of an investigation into heron deformities in Nottinghamshire but discovered the presence of the cancer causing chemicals in Halton accidentally, after scientists took test samples from Green Wood and Pitts Heath in Runcorn to use for comparison.
The report said: âÂÂThe control eggs from Cheshire had the highest levels of polychlorinates/dioxins, suggesting that the site is contaminated.âÂ?
The report also stated that the levels discovered were âÂÂof great concernâÂ? and lists possible sources of contamination as âÂÂfly-ash lagoonsâÂ?.
Jeff Meehan, an environmental campaigner who brought the document to the attention of Mr Hall, said: âÂÂThe Runcorn heronries are opposite FiddlerâÂÂs Ferry power station and one theory is that Cheshire herons may have fed at power station lagoons.âÂ?
Mr Hall said: âÂÂI have written to the Environment Secretary to find out if anything was done about this discovery.
âÂÂDioxins are nasty and carcinogenic and we need to find out where theyâÂÂre coming from and then what the impact could be on public health and the wider environment.âÂ?
But Sharon Miller-McKenzie, a spokeswoman for FiddlerâÂÂs Ferry, denied the site could be responsible for any such contamination.
She said: âÂÂWeâÂÂre a centre of excellence and a specialist site for wildlife. In fact caring for wildlife is at the centre of what we do.
âÂÂIt is not ash dumping but ash separation that we carry out on the site.âÂ?
Hmm, thought provoking....anyway, while I was driving back out of the city tonight I noticed small groups of Starlings heading south west, presumably to roost.
Not large flocks, 50 birds or less here and there, but earlier in the week I saw one flock of 1,000 birds, and they're all going in the same direction each night.
Anyone know where they are roosting?
Rimrose Valley? the docks, city centre?
I love a good Starling roost - the one on Liverpool's St George's Hall was particularly cool until the building was cleaned up.
Shame historic architecture and piles of Starling doodoo don't mix.
If you know where they're roosting, please let me know.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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Starlings are going to Runcorn bridge
Hi John
The south bank of the Mersey between Warrington and Runcorn, was my old stomping ground for many years. The area was known then as Moss Side, and the eastern end is now known as Moore nature reserve
In my trespassing days, I remember being asked to leave the site of what is now another local nature reserve, as it was the site of a mustard gas factory during the war.
I did wonder why the old Runcorn-Latchford canal there, had a yellowy-brown, Coleman's like appearance,
Didn't seem to bother the wintering Water Rails and nesting Kingfishers though and they say that Chernobyl is a veritable paradise for wildlife, now that all the people have gone.
Still, 'where's there's muck there's brass' as they say and 'where's there no folk there's birds' it would seem.
Big number of geese feeding at Ormskirk and Aughton the past few days.
At least 7000 there today on fields between Altys Lane and Blackmoss Lane, and along Prescot Road, Aughton.
All roosting at MMWWT
I have been studying birds at the power station for 30 years and I have not found any deaths or malformed birds in those years.
Cormorants and Great Crested Grebes also feed on fish in the lagoons and none of those species have shown to be comtaminated by any kind of toxicness.
The ash in the lagoons is produced on the station and none are brought in, whereas most of it is sold to outside interests.
I think we need to look further afield and in particular to what is being released into the Mersey both above and below the power station.
Power Stations are normally the first to have the finger pointed at them, we need to look at every possible way these toxic chemicals could have occurred before making a big mistake of pointing the finger before proof is found.
Hon Warden
Keith G Massey