Call for inquiry amid cancer fears

Residents have called for a public inquiry

People living close to a chemical plant have called for a public inquiry amid fears of a link with cancer cases.

An emergency meeting took place in Dunfermline, in Fife, on Thursday evening after members of the public expressed anxiety about the Mossmorran chemical plant.

However, Fife Health Board denied that there was a higher rate of cancer in the area than in the rest of the country.

Dr Margaret Hannah: No evidence of a link

The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency told an audience of about 40 people that there was nothing to worry about.

The local MSP Helen Eadie said most people were not satisfied with their findings and demanded to take the matter further.

Residents in nearby Cowdenbeath and Lochore have alleged that there is an unusually high number of cancer cases in the area and said they want to know if the plant is to blame.

Fife Council agreed to stage the meeting in Dunfermline City Chambers.

But Dr Margaret Hannah, of Fife Health Board, said there was no need to worry.

She said: "When we heard about these concerns locally, obviously we took them very seriously.

'No increased risk'

"We found that the rates of cancer in this part of Fife are no different from the rest of Fife, nor of Scotland as a whole.

"So we could conclude that there was no increased risk of cancer for living near the Mossmoran site."

Some disgruntled residents said the meeting should have been held in Cowdenbeath so that more people would have been able to attend.

The plant is run by Exxon Mobil Chemical, which has also dismissed health fears.

It manufactures petrochemicals such as ethylene, propylene, benzene and toluene, used used for making pipes, tubing, solvents and paints.

Exxon Mobil has plants in the USA, Canada, Holland, Belgium, Singapore and Japan and is one of the world's largest chemical producers.