TWO East Lancashire chemical factories are pumping tonnes of cancer-causing fumes into the air each year - and helping make the region the most polluted in the country, according to a report out today.

Oswaldtwistle's Nipa Laboratories and the ICI plant in Clitheroe are among 25 factories in the North West highlighted as helping to create three quarters of all cancer-causing pollution in the country. The claims, based on Environment Agency figures for 1996, are published by Friends of the Earth today as part of their Factory Watch campaign.

But the Environment Agency said the figures were old and that more up-to-date ones showed a reduction of 13 per cent in emissions of the same type of chemicals in the North West. And industry hit out at Friends of the Earth, claiming their statistics were alarmist and misleading. "We set emission limits for factories based on their impact on the local environment. This involves taking expert advice on possible health effects," said Justin McCracken, the Environment Agency's North West regional general manager.

"The agency does not hesitate to take whatever legal action is necessary to ensure required standards are met by factories and that the environment is protected."

Friends of the Earth are now calling on the Government to regulate the amount of hazardous substances released each year and to set up health watch schemes near major sources of health-threatening pollution.

Campaigner Mike Childs explained: "We must crack down on the cancer carriers. The worst factories are being allowed to release a quite appalling amount of health-threatening pollution. The Government must take tougher enforcement action, deliver its election pledge and publish comprehensive pollution inventories."

According to Factory Watch figures the company emitted more than 30,000 kilograms of tetrachlorethylene (perchloroethylene), a recognised carcinogen, into the air in 1996 and a further 5,433 kilos of the chemical into local water and sewerage systems.

Meanwhile ICI, Clitheroe, pumped out more than 2,000 kilos of cancer-causing nickel into the air, 400 kilos of chromium - a suspected carcinogen - and a further tonne of cadmium into water or sewerage systems. ICI spokeswoman Paula Shields said: "Friends of the Earth's Factory Watch scheme is a regurgitation of out-of-date information on emissions that has already been provided to the authorities and is held on the public register.

"Their approach is alarmist, predictable and unnecessary. ICI openly and voluntarily provides information about all its emissions to anyone who is interested.

"We have a long and well-established programme of continuously reducing the impact of our operations on the environment across the ICI group, and excellent progress has been made.

"Detailed information about our environmental performance is published annually and is made available to all our shareholders and the public."

NIPA today criticised the report for being out of date and said emissions have been reducing steadily.

"It is unfortunate when such a respected organisation as Friends of the Earth fails to provide an accurate picture when issues such as this concern all of us and we are all working together to further reduce any possible risk."

The firm added that it had invested more than £1 million in the site to meet and exceed environmental standards.

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