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Toxic chemicals released into shi

Its clearly of concern that the Ship Canal is failing to achieve EU chemical standards. Local industry, the local council and the environmental agencies must take seriously the responsibility to stop toxic waste being dumped into the canal. One water pollution expert, who spoke to The Big Issue in the North on condition of anonymity, described the canals condition as very poor. He said: Its not just sewage going in to somewhere like Davyhulme, its all kinds of chemical wastes that they can treat there as well. So, if you like, theyre taking societys problems and trying to do the best they can.

Cyanide and lead are among the chemicals released into the Manchester Ship Canal. Photo: Peter Byrne/PA Wire

Toxic chemicals are among more than 70 million gallons of treated liquid waste being discharged into the Manchester Ship Canal every day, an investigation by The Big Issue in the North has found. In 2005-10, more than one tonne of cyanide, 38 tonnes of ammonia and eight tonnes of nonylphenol ethoxylates (a chemical considered highly toxic to aquatic life) were pumped into the waterway from a waste processing plant at Davyhulme in Greater Manchester, along with smaller quantities of arsenic, lead and mercury.

Legal case
Each of these substances is toxic or hazardous, and their release into the canal permitted by the governments Environment Agency. The Big Issue in the North has also learned that there is an ongoing legal case concerning a pollutant that has been found in the canal at Davyhulme. The case involves undisclosed individuals, some of whom are

CORRECTION
In our article on the North Liverpool Foodbank (issue 902) we failed to credit Jon Reynolds for the photograph used. Apologies.
4

bound by confidentiality agreements, and is expected to reach court in the near future. An ecological expert, an MP and environmental group Friends of the Earth (FotE) have expressed concern at the revelations. Dumping toxic waste into the canal could place serious risks on the health of local people and wildlife, said Helen Rimmer, North West campaigner for FotE. Some of the chemicals discharged into the canal are hormone-disrupting. Instead of treating the canal as a dumping ground, industry must reduce production of toxic waste, and focus on waste prevention and greener technologies. The 117-year-old waterway runs for around 36 miles through the North West, from the Mersey estuary near Liverpool to the River Irwell in Greater Manchester. Discharged waste enters the canal from a number of sites, including Salford, Dukinfield and Stockport. But the majority is emitted by water company United Utilities at its Davyhulme plant, one of the largest of its kind in Europe, processing sewage produced by up to three million people across Manchester as well as industrial waste. Between October 2010 and September 2011 it handled more

than 1,175 tonnes of hazardous waste, with an average 73.3 million gallons of total treated effluent discharged daily into the canal, according to figures provided by the Environment Agency.

Negative impact
But the worst possible thing to do is have a canal and throw all your waste in there. Its good in the sense that its not a natural river but it just doesnt have the self-cleaning capacity that a river would. It can be a very long-term problem. Weve got places where very little can live because of very old pollution. Research conducted for United Utilities in 2007 by

EU standards
A government-commissioned report shows the canal failed a chemicals test in 2009 as it did not meet EU standards that aim to reduce pollution. Kate Green, Labour MP for Stretford and Urmston, said:

SUBSTANCE USE
Ammonia - A caustic, hazardous substance widely used in fertiliser and commercial cleaning products. It is considered toxic to fish and even in low concentrations may cause damage to internal and external organs. Arsenic - A natural element that behaves like a metal. It is toxic and often found in agricultural pesticides and in timber preservation chemicals. Cyanide - A poisonous naturally occurring substance sometimes used in metal cleaning operations and as an industrial bug killer. Lead - A naturally occurring substance often found in petrol and paint. Elevated levels in water can cause reproductive damage in some aquatic life and cause blood and neurological changes in fish and other animals. Mercury - A highly toxic element found both naturally and as an introduced contaminant in the environment. Mercury compounds can be damaging to the central nervous systems of humans and animals. It is often used for the manufacture of industrial chemicals or for electrical devices. Nonylphenol ethoxylates - Used in a wide variety of industrial applications and consumer products, including laundry detergents. Studies have shown them to be toxic to aquatic life, causing interference with animal hormones.

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hip canal
aquatic scientists found that low oxygen levels in the canal were worsened by a combination of chemical, biological and physical factors that could cause extensive fish mortalities. The negative impact of ammonia was cited repeatedly. Last year alone 22 tonnes of ammonia was released into the water at Davyhulme, official figures show. A spokeswoman for the Environment Agency said 18 million of government funding

had been allocated to help more waterways meet EU targets for pollution by 2015.

Ammonia levels
She added: The water quality of rivers and lakes across England and Wales has improved significantly over the last 20 years, but there is still more that needs to be done to improve our waters even further. The Environment Agency is working with water companies such as United Utilities in the North West to minimise pollution and improve water quality. United Utilities said it had spent hundreds of millions of pounds upgrading its treatment processes, with plans to spend a

further 120 million over the next four years, including 50 million to reduce ammonia levels. Our treatment works receive the effluent from businesses, industries and some three million people across Greater Manchester. Our plants operate around the clock treating huge volumes of wastewater to the standards set out by the Environment Agency before it is released into the Manchester Ship Canal, said a United Utilities spokesperson. The ship canal has a long industrial legacy but steady progress to improve water quality is happening.
RYAN GALLAGHER

NEWS IN BRIEF
CHARITY WALK AXED
The annual Saddleworth Beer Walk has been scrapped after trouble at this years event. Plans for a 39th annual walk were binned after it was deemed too costly to police. Alcohol-related trouble resulted in June when an estimated 4,000 people unofficially joined the walk. Saddleworth Round Table decided against repeating the event because of the 58,000 policing bill.

LIVERPOOL SANTA DASH

Tis the Seasons to be careful

The rescue of 30 threatened care homes in the north may simply be storing up future problems, according to the GMB union. When Southern Cross, the UKs largest home care operator, went bust earlier this year there were fears that thousands of its 31,000 residents could find themselves without a home. But the company transferred its 750-plus homes in the UK to more than 30 existing operators. One of these is Four Seasons Health Care Group, which, by being registered in Jersey, does not post accounts. Of a final wave of 139 homes transferred to subsidiary company Four Seasons Healthcare on 31 October, 22 are in the North West and eight in Yorkshire and Humber. The total of homes under the care of the company is over 500. owner the Qatari Investment Authority walked away, having lost its entire investment, and ownership was transferred to creditors including the Royal Bank of Scotland. The maturity repayment of the remaining debt of 780 million is set for September 2012. But union officials are concerned Four occupied bed in 2010 was spent on rents and interest payments But a Four Seasons spokesperson insisted the company was fully able to manage its debt.

Liverpool will host the UKs biggest festive fun run on 4 December when its expected over 7,500 santas will turn out in the city centre to transform the 5km course into a moving sea of red. The causes being supported by this years run are the Radio City Cash For Kids and the Liverpool Echo Liverpool Unites charities. To apply visit www.runliverpool.org.uk/

Confident
We are very confident we will be able to refinance it before it becomes due next year, he said. The company has recently been valued at 950 million, much greater than our debt. Southern Cross was a private sector problem that has been resolved by the private sector, thus saving a massive burden falling on local authorities or the public purse. Weve taken on operating homes that were marked for closure, will be investing in them and working with 7,300 transferred staff to improve the quality of care in homes. Blackley and Broughton MP Graham Stringer said: I was appalled by the financial arrangements of these care homes. I think it brings into question whether care homes providing a public service for vulnerable people should ever be in the private sector.
MARK METCALF

STREET HARASSMENT
Hollaback! West Yorkshire has launched a survey into street harassment. Street harassment is the term used to describe sexual harassment in public places that can include anything from staring and sexualised comments up to assault and molestation. The survey, which takes place during the Leeds 16 Days of Action, part of an international campaign to end violence against women, can be found at www.wy.ihollaback. org/survey.

Should care homes ever be in the private sector. Stringer

Seasons may not be able to pay it, especially as in 2010 the subsidiary company posted a 12.1 million pre-tax loss. Jon Smith, GMB organiser in Yorkshire and North Derbyshire, said: For nearly two years we warned that Southern Crosss business model was fundamentally flawed. We feel the same model is being adopted by Four Seasons and that concerns us greatly. A quarter of the 31,800 income Four Seasons earned per

FRESH TO YOUR DESK

Workers in Manchester city centre will have the chance to have fresh, affordable groceries delivered directly to their offices. On 5 December, Feeding Manchester, a network of food suppliers, is putting on a demonstration showing how workers can buy directly from local farmers and wholesalers, giving them access to ethical groceries while supporting the local economy. See www. feedingmanchester.org.uk

Debt due
Eight-eight per cent of Four Seasons homes are rated good or excellent by the Care Quality Commission. Nevertheless the company has experienced financial difficulties. In 2009 its creditors agreed to write off half of the groups 1.6 billion debt. Previous

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28 NOV - 4 DEC 2011 THE BIG ISSUE IN THE NORTH