Kirkby Times is publishing a letter from George Howarth MP which was sent to
someone who e-mailed him from his home near the vicinity of the
Sonae factory. The letter from Howarth was a reply to a local
man who is plagued with problems associated with the Sonae Factory
here in Northwood Kirkby. This local man alleges like many other people
that Sonae has covered himself, his wife and children, his car, and his
home with dust. This fact is hard to deny and Kirkby Times has long
alerted the community, and indeed the World to the fact that a mountain
of wood dust is stored fully exposed near a residential area. This dust
blows into the nearby built up residential area and Kirkby Times has
exclusive proof of this. These wood dust mountains in Sonae also caught
fire last year, polluting the local vicinity both with smoke, the ever
present dust and the toxic flow off which likely went into the nearby
river. If not, the water table would absorb the toxins. Either way,
it's dangerous.
Below is the letter in it's entirety from George The
'Missing Link' Howarth. Then a critical response from Kirkby
times followed by a reply to Howarth from the person.
23 April 2003
Thank you for your email concerning Sonae and the problems you have been
experiencing. I note that you have contacted Neil Turner, Knowsley's Chief
Environmental Officer. Neil Turner and his colleagues have been working hard
to monitor emissions at the factory and are currently advising the council about
Sonae's proposals for dealing with the problems. I have been working with them
on this.
Simultaneously, the Health and Safety executive are involved in various actions
against Sonae in respect of problems which have occurred at the plant. I have kept in
close contact with the HSE pending the publication of a report on major incident at
Sonae which occurred last year. The report will in due course be published and I have
been given an assurance that a copy will be placed in the House of Commons library
which will make it a public document.
You may also be aware that the local health authority (Now the Knowsley PCT)
carried out research into any health problems associated with the plant.
Although no link was found, they continue to monitor the situation. Again,
I have been in regular contact with them on this matter.
I know people locally are, like you, very concerned about
Sonae and I fully share those concerns. The situation at this
time is, however, tricky in that a number of things are happening
but, in some cases for legal reasons, those agencies involved are
unable to say much publicly.
Nevertheless, I am being kept informed and will support the
proper authorities taking whatever action is necessary to resolve
those problems.
Yours sincerely, George Howarth MP Knowsley North and Sefton East
George Howarth's reply is standard political stuff, most of it is filled
with the usual predictable phrases and filling the spaces with
stating the obvious. Howarth makes two points which are worth examining.
1: The Health and Safety Executive Report to be public document
This may give us more ammunition to use against Sonae, the
report will have a number of points we maybe were not aware of,
but the HSE has already warned Sonae in public that it's less than impressed.
2: The situation at this time is, however, tricky……..
George Howarth states that "The situation (regarding Sonae) is tricky" because "a
number of things are happening but, in some cases for legal reasons,
those agencies involved are unable to say much publicly." That's
interesting, but then Howarth lets slip that "Nevertheless, I am
being kept informed", so, Howarth knows something but won't tell
us, what's new there? If Howarth had any guts he would have released
any information regarding this Toxic plant before it came here - he
has a researcher, but he just LET SONAE IN HERE, and never said a
thing. Howarth must have known well in advance of the people of
Northwood that this toxic plant was going to be set up here. Now
he's trying to come across as the hard done by man of the people
who knows "a number of things are happening" regarding Sonae -
but cannot actually tell us, the people who live in the shadow
of Sonae what is happening. Why the hell should Howarth be given
privileged access to information which does not really affect
him in the slightest? George Howarth spends so little time
in Kirkby that even if Sonae was spewing out pure cyanide, he'd
not be affected. If George Howarth was honest he would tell us
the best bit of Kirkby is the M57 as he looks in the rear view
mirror of his nice car as he drives to one of a number of
properties he owns. We are mugs for continuing the illusion
that Labour is something to vote for. Truth is, they've screwed
Kirkby worse than the Tories ever did.
Please Email George Howarth here
His House of Commons email address has not been so far been of any use.
Just in, a reply to George Howarth's reply to the original email.
Dear Mr Howarth
On the 23/4/03 I received your reply to my e-mail asking if you
could help me and the people of your constituency do something
about the contamination from the Sonae plant. In my e-mail to you,
I stated that I had been in contact with the chief environmental
officer Mr Neil Turner and complained on many occasions to him about
the dust and stench that is being thrown out by the Sonae.
In reply you say that various agencies (i.e. H.SE and P.C.T) are
conducting research into the contamination from the Sonae site.
Since that time I have not been able to get any help from Mr
Turner apart from "I will forward your complaint to the officer
in charge". In the mean time we, the people of Kirkby, are still
being contaminated by Sonae. Therefore could you take a moment
of your time to answer the following if possible?
1) How far have the agencies mentioned above got with the research
into the contamination from Sonae?
2) Has the council or any of the above agency's got any kind of
monitoring devices in place to monitor the dust from the Sonae. If so
what are they ? and where are they? And who controls them?
3) Could you confirm the rumour that the Knowsley Council paid Sonae over £60 million
pound to build this disgrace of a plant next to our town?
If you could look into the above I would be very pleased and await your reply
Many thanks.
Thanks to a correspondent from Northwood for allowing us to
publish the letters. Lets hope the 3 questions above are
answered. If anyone has information regarding Sonae, please contact Kirkby Times.
