I can smell the rat « Screaming in Stewartby

It’s March 9th 2008 and…

in Bedford I just opened my garden door and am still able to smell Stewartby Brickworks… am I somehow f*ed to be that stupid to believe that Handson will shut the production as it was promissed???

Stewartby Brickworks Chimney Demolition

I appreciate the history of the Stewartby Brickworks and fact,
that for many local people it might be a sort of symbol…
but times change and I sincerely cannot imagine UK taxpayers
paying EU penalties for a German concern polluting Bedfordshire…

Bedford Borough Council Website – Pollution Control Information

Although impressive, with good layout and nice navigation,
usually helpful Bedford Borough Council website this time
is not a good source of information regarding air pollution.

Its pollution section:

http://www.bedford.gov.uk/Default.aspx/Web/NationalSocietyforCleanAirNSCA

provides with two PDF links and list of allegedly
related pages, such us:

• Noise
• Building Site Noise
• Road Traffic Noise
• Railway Noise
• Pubs and Clubs
• Private Parties
• Noise and the Law
• Outdoor Events
• Noisy Parties
• Noisy Neighbours
• Burglar Alarms
• Car Alarms
• Commercial Noise
• Aircraft Noise

OK, let’s try general environment section now…

http://www.bedford.gov.uk/Default.aspx/Web/Environment

…some ‘related’ pages again.

• Energy Efficiency
• Street Cleansing Service
• Energy for Good
• Cocoon scheme
• Bedfordshire Renewable Energy Forum
• Local Agenda 21
• Sustainable Development
• Land and Premises
• Environmental Information Regulations

I better send them an email… EHAdmin@bedford.gov.uk
and their reply will be blogged.

What’s in your backyard?

Mr. Bob Boyce of SEPA, Edinburgh replied
my email yesterday (thank you Sir)!

Thanks you for your email.

In order for you to get up to date 1998-2006
please use the Environment Agency’s
“what’s in my backyard website”.
The EPER is only for 2001 and 2004.
It will be avail be annually starting
in 2009 with 2007 emissions data.

Hope that helps.

Stay well
Bob

Bob Boyce
Senior Environmental Assessment Officer
SEPA – Edinburgh
T: 0131 273 7242
http://www.sepa.org.uk

Now, I had to google a bit and came across
this interesting website “What’s in your backyard?”.
It is run by the Environment Agency, link here:

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/maps/

The only trouble is that dataset for this plant in Stewartby (?) ends in 1999.

Click here to see

Public information access is a bit of a window-shopping,
but the difference is that they always make you pay…
one way or another.

Be green, or so they say, right?
And what about the government?
Or is it just an IT glitch…

Neighbourhood Statistics

I just tired to locate some stats online using http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/

The only dataset I came across online says it’s all perfect down in Bedford.
At least it used to be two years ago, back in the 2005.

Newer stats are not available.

Pollution puts Britain in the dock ( Metro on Stewartby Brickworks, Bedford and SO2 pollution – sulphur dioxide in the air )

Source: click here
Published: 04/09/2007
Download full article in PDF.

Britain faces being hauled into court for breaking the limit on levels
of a noxious pollutant gas being pumped into the atmosphere,
it has emerged.

The case, over the amount of sulphur dioxide in the air, is believed
to be the first of its kind brought by the European Commission.

Ministers have already been issued with a legal notice telling them
to take action. If they fail to reduce levels of the gas – linked to
an increased risk of dying from respiratory diseases – then Britain
could be fined by the European Court of Justice.

There are two legal limits for SO2 emissions and, according to the EC,
both these were broken. The breach is said to have occurred near
Stewartby Brickworks, Bedford, and would affect about 4,000 people
living within a 5km radius.

The risk of an early death from respiratory disease rises by 13 per cent
for even a relatively small increase in sulphur dioxide, a recent study
showed. The pollutant can be particularly harmful to asthma sufferers.

The case came to light when the Campaign for Clean Air in London (CCAL)
pressed the Government for information.

The environment department, Defra, admitted legal proceedings had
started but said revealing details ‘would risk undermining the
investigations, conduct and handling of the case’.

CCAL expressed its dismay at the Government’s ‘lack of transparency
and action’, and Conservative MEP John Bowis said: ‘We should be
leading the way in environmental standards across Europe, not forever
playing catch up.’

The Environment Agency insisted the brickworks met EC standards and
the site’s owner, HeidelbergCement, said it did not know ‘anything
about this factory breaking any pollution laws’.