Sonae are blatantly polluting the local environment and community with wood dust, and now we find that new research in Australia shows that wood dust causes cancer. The wood dust which blows from the Sonae factory is able to travel the short distance by wind to the nearby Northwood Estate where it covers houses cars and obviously the inside of our lungs with wood dust and fibres. They got the Capital of Culture award in Liverpool, are Knowsley Council trying to get the 'Capital of Cancer' award?

In Australia all wood dust is now classified as carcinogenic (liable to cause cancer - link here ) Knowsley Council knew before Sonae came here that they were going to add to the high incidences of lung disease here. Anyone who studies Sonae's operations will know that the plant can only make matters worse as it deals in turning wood dust and fibre into chipboard. Wherever the factory was placed would have suffered the effects of the pollutants, and Knowsley Council in their wisdom decided it would be a real good idea to situate such a factory in a town with record levels of lung related diseases.

Wood Dust Road

The wood dust is hidden behind a 12 foot high fence, but you can still see the top of the wood dust mountains. The mountains themselves are spread out with most of it not visible to the passer by. Inside the plants grounds there is a road which has wood dust mountains stacked up either side, this 'wood dust road' is constantly being used and the noise of lorries etc affects local residents. There are always bulldozers or diggers moving the wood dust to be put on a conveyor belt and taken into Sonae's factory to be dried and treated with chemicals and glues.

Sonae Polluting Environment - Plants covered in layer of dust

Plants by the factory are struggling to survive - some of the plants are absolutely covered in a layer of wood dust and fibre - below is a photo of a nettle which looks a light brown colour - this is the dust covering it! -


The photo below shows a bit of green as I rubbed away some of the dust on the plant. This isn't a nettle dying off - its one that should be Green - yet its absolutely covered in dust from Sonae.


You can see the evidence for yourself with two more photo's - full original size so they will take a short while to download if your on a 56k modem, you can download the photos below - as always - right click to save if you want to save a copy - left click and the photo will automatically open. No alterations were made to these photos.


Full sized photo of nettle leaf covered in Sonae dust - download here

Full sized photo of plants covered in Sonae dust. - download here

Wood dust blows for miles.

This dust is blowing on the wind for miles depending on the winds strength. As I approached the Sonae factory my tracksuit trousers were covered in this dust - luckily the wind was blowing towards the Sonae factory as I approached it, otherwise the dry weather would have meant I would be breathing in a substance which the Australians have classed as cancer causing. Let's hope this latest news regarding the cancer link is spread through Kirkby - the wood dust is extremely dangerous and damage is already being done to those people unfortunate enough to live in the near vicinity of Sonae. Sonae must be stopped.

Victorian Woodworkers Association speak out on MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard)

"Hardwoods in general such as beech, oak and mahogany and native hardwoods (eucalypts) generate fine particles of dust and this has a prime link with nasal cancers. Softwood timbers from coniferous trees such as pine are less of a risk. Medium density fibreboard (MDF) poses another problem due to the bonding agent and should be treated the same as hardwood. A properly designed and maintained exhaust system is the best method of collecting the dust and is the ideal way. However if this is not practical, dust respirators should be used whenever you are exposed to dust" - from Victorian Woodworkers Association Inc Melbourne, Australia. E-mail: Here

International Agency for Research on Cancer

In 1995 the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is an agency of the World Health Organisation, evaluated the cancer risks associated with workplace exposures in a variety of wood industries. The IARC classified wood dust as a Group 1 carcinogen to humans. This classification is the result of a marked increase in the occurrence of cancer of the nasal cavities and Para nasal sinuses among workers exposed to hardwood dust.

More dust pollution!

Note: Knowsley Council have recently given permission for a massive mound of building site debris to be placed next to Sonae - this dust combined with the wood dust is making residents lives hell. A promise to stop the dust has not been kept by Knowsley Councils Environmental Department so far. For them to allow the siting of this new source of dust pollutant to be placed in Northwood is a disgrace. Read here for more details.

Direct Action?

A pensioner recently contacted Kirkby Times and had this to say

Direct Actions what's needed, if the whole town turned up then we'd shut it down, the kids who spend so much time destroying Kirkby would be better off putting their destructive energies into something creative like protecting the environment. Our Councillors are never going to act - the answer is to oppose them at the next election. If I was young enough I'd scale the chimney myself, that would close Sonae down for the day and also attract publicity. KATS should have gone down that path, but so far they have shown no will to act in such a manner.

The above statement is pretty much one to be applauded. If any environmental campaigners or green party members or just local residents want to hold a demonstration outside Sonae - get in touch. If KATS (so far KATS have not returned phone calls) want to organise anything - this website will publicise it. Even half a dozen people with a few banners outside Sonae would be better than moaning down the local about it. Any organisations in Kirkby who are willing to have a go - please get in touch. Good luck - but remember - its not luck that will kick Sonae out - it's us!