Local Campaign Against Sonae UK Knowsley Plant Takes To The Streets
Yesterday in Knowsley on Merseyside, local residents took to the streets in a demonstration against Sonae UK Ltd and its ‘cursed’ factory which has seen 2 deaths in an accident in December 2010, followed by a third death this month as a result of a fire at the plant in June.
Local resident Sharon Briggs and member of the Say Bye to Sonae pressure group is using her Facebook page as a way of promoting the resident’s campaign to get the factory closed down. Commenting prior to the demonstration yesterday 18th august, she said:
“We have 515 members of the Say Bye to Sonae group lets hope we have a good turn out on Thursday we have to show community spirit, we all joined for the same reason :)”
Sharon has provided Unionsafety with pics of the demonstration held yesterday.
The residents are not only concerned about the terrible safety record at the plant, but by the continuous ‘awful smell’ emitted by the factory, and the effects on the environment and health concerns for the people living in the area of the plant.
Whilst Formaldehyde (resin used in the manufacture of composite wood products) emissions from composite products could have an adverse effect upon human health in enclosed areas, local residents feel that the bad odour in the air is a sign of cantaminents being emitted into the atmosphere.
The company’s website states that Sonae UK Ltd is “a manufacturer of high quality particleboard for use in the furniture and construction industries”, and that the “Knowsley plant is based on the latest technology in particleboard manufacture and is specifically designed to use 100% recycled material. Sustainability and environmental responsibility are key foundations to business development.”
It goes further to boast about its plant performance at Knowsley:
“The Knowsley site was designed with environmental management in mind, with the latest technologies incorporated to satisfy the environmental requirements of BAT (best available technique). The main emission point on the site is a WESP (wet electrostatic precipitator) which is served by an 85m stack and all other emission points are served by the latest cyclone and bag filter equipment.”
However, the plant has an appalling safety record and local residents have no faith in the factory’s ability to operate within an environmentally friendly manner and within industry guidelines regarding emissions into the atmosphere.
In December 2010 two workers died after falling into a machine at the plant.
In June a fire burned there for eight days after 1,500 tonnes of wood chips ignited, and then on 6th August a sub-contractor was killed at the factory.
In the past nine years there have been 22 serious accidents – which include fires and chemical leaks – at the Sonae plant in Kirkby. There were also five dangerous near misses at the Knowsley Industrial Park site. Since 2001, it is reported that 45 workers were forced to take at least three days off work after suffering injuries at the plant.
The HSE ordered Sonae UK Ltd, to cease work at the plant on eight occasions between 2001 and 2003 because of safety fears. The factory was also issued with four improvement notices.
In June, this appalling safety record was raised in Parliament by Knowsley MP George Howarth who called for the site to be permanently closed down.
Local press have been covering the continued saga of blatant disregard for health and safety at the plant, with the Liverpool Echo running several stories recently. Following the demonstration held outside the plant yesterday 18th August, the newspaper quoted Helen Moss, a local resident and member of the Say Bye to Sonae campaign.
Commenting on the death of yet another worker this month, she said:
"Sadly I am not surprised. People are saying it is cursed. I tell you the Health and Safety Executive had better set up an office at Sonae they are there so often. If that factory isn’t closed down over this then I would like to know why.
There are people saying he was only a contractor, that he didn’t work for Sonae, but that doesn’t matter. Every life is precious."
During the recent shut down of the plant, local resident, Lesley Boyd commented on her Facebook page:
“One thing I can say when I got up this morning thinking how my son doesn’t blow his nose every two mins or sneezing either this passed few weeks, and my chest feels less bad tells me that these increased problems in health were to do with this factory….. its clearly Sonae that was coursing them or my son would still be sneezing his head off as much as before but he hasn’t sneezed in over 2 wks which makes me now this place needs shutting down.”
But local residents have concerns about the way in which Sonae UK Ltd have responded to the current safety problems and claim the plant is in fact still operating in part despite the investigation currently taking place by the police and the HSE.
One resident providing photographic evidence of activity within the plant has raised speculation that the factory is still running despite claims to the contrary.
Meanwhile, concerns about the health issues around wood recycling are not just centred around Knowsley, but across the UK, with action groups forming to campaign and educate people where ever there is a wood recycling plant, that wood dust is a human carcinogen and can seriously affect health.
One such group, Mossley Environmental Action Group is on The One Show, BBC1 at 7pm on Monday 22nd August, talking about environmental pollution from wood recycling.
Donna Lilley from the group promoted the programme on her Facebook page, saying:
“We hope that after seeing the programme more people will come forward with health complaints, and realise that we are working hard behind the scenes to protect everyone, everywhere!”
Source: Say Goodbye To Sonae Campaign Group / Liverpool Echo / Sharon Briggs (photos) / The University of New South Wales
