SEWAGE DUMPING - THE LEGACY
A study on chemical contamination in the Firth of Clyde has revealed that concentrations of dangerous chemicals remain very high, nine years after sewage sludge dumping ceased in the river.
Sewage sludge from the Glasgow area was dumped at Garroch Head, south of the Isle of Bute, from 1904 until 1998. More than 1.5 million tonnes of sludge was dumped annually during this 94-year period, equating to a total deposition of 140 million tonnes on the seabed.
To compound this, large quantities of dredge spoil have been dumped in the past off Cloch Point. This is now causing a broader pollution issue in the Firth.
Earlier this month, the Aberdeen-based Fisheries Research Services (FRS) published information on work carried out to monitor pollution in the Firth.
A fifteen year monitoring programme by the FRS on long term pollution, including the effects of sewage sludge and dredge spoil dumped at Garroch Head and Cloch Point respectively, has revealed that concentrations of organic contaminants have remained high in the fish population and within sediment collected from the Garroch Head area.
For the past eight years, the monitoring programme has been broadened to include four other sampling sites; Holy Loch (Strone Point), Skelmorlie, Hunterston and Irvine Bay. Three other sites were also monitored as reference sites - Pladda, off Arran, Colonsay, and Broad Bay in Lewis. These reference sites provided comparison figures from less intensively polluted waters for comparison.
Each of the five sites demonstrated high levels of organic chemical contamination, but the highest fogures were reported at Garroch Head and the Holy Loch.
Two main ‘families of organic chemical were studied; polychlorinated biphenyls (CBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
CBs were used for a variety of applications, including fluids for capacitors and transformers, heat transfer fluids, hydraulic fluids, lubricating and cutting oils, and as additives in pesticides, paints, carbonless copy paper, adhesives, sealants, plastics and reactive flame retardants. They were also used in surgical implants.
Their commercial usefulness was based largely on their chemical stability, including low flammability and excellent electrical insulation properties.
Unfortunately, these very properties have contributed to the persistence of concentrations still seen in the Firth of Clyde, largely an unwanted legacy of its industrial past.
Concern over the toxicity and persistence of CBs in the environment led the US to ban their domestic production in 1977, and the UK followed suit in 1986.
Concentrations of these chemicals tend to rise up the food chain, in a pyramid-like effect. Because CBs do not break down easily, they accumulate in the bodies of marine creatures, from bacteria and photoplankton upwards, with fish and other top predators having the highest concentrations.
Various human health problems have been attributed to CB exposure in the past, the most commonly observed being skin conditions such as chloracne and rashes where people have been exposed to high levels of CB contamination.Other illnesses which have been linked to these pollutants are: eye and ear irritation; upper respiritory tract irritation; joint problems; thyroid problems; lower birth weights in babies; adverse effects on infant behavioural skills; suppression of the immune system in infants and disruption of oestrogen levels in the body.There is also growing evidence that CBs may be a factor in some human cancers.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of over 100 different chemicals formed during the incomplete burning of coal, oil and gas, or other organic substances like tobacco or grilled meat. PAHs are usually found as a mixture containing two or more of these compounds, such as soot.
Manufactured PAHs are found in items such as creosote, and roofing tar, and a few are used in medicines or to make dyes, plastics, and pesticides.
Much of the contamination found in the Firth of Clyde can be attributed to industrial discharges and oil spills, but they also result from road run-off and atmospheric deposition.
Most PAHs do not dissolve easily in water. They stick to solid particles and settle to the bottoms of the sea.
Prolonged exposure to PAH chemicals may result in an increased risk of cancer.
These chemicals only become dangerous when an individual has experienced long term medium level, or short term high level exposure. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) comments on the issue as follows: “Polychlorinated biphenyls tend to be found in all foods containing fats. They have no immediate effect on health, but can be harmful if they build up in our bodies over time. The recommended maximums are lower for most girls and women because high levels of dioxins and CBs could affect the development of an unborn baby.
Oily fish such as salmon, trout, mackerel and herring are most susceptible to the slow build up of organic pollutants: “Most people should be eating more oily fish because omega 3 fatty acids are very good for our health. However, oily fish can contain low levels of pollutants that can build up in the body. For this reason there are recommendations for the maximum number of portions of oily fish we should be eating each week (a portion is about 140g)” continues the FSA.
The Fisheries Research Services’ document concludes with the following statement: “Following the cessation of sewage sludge dumping in 1998, concentrations of organic contaminants have remained high in both biota (living organisms) and sediment collected from the Clyde, and concentrations were found not to have decreased significantly. The cessation of of dumping and the ban on the use of CBs should result in a decrease in contaminant loading of both biota (flora and fauna) and sediments with time. However the high variability of contaminant concentrations and the slow degradation means this could take some time and will require continued monitoring.”
The environmental regulatory authority for Scotland is the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), and they issued a statement as follows: “SEPA takes the protection of the country’s precious environment extremely seriously. We do everything within our remit to make sure Scotland’s natural habitat is safeguarded from pollution in the short and long term.
“What this research highlights is what is to be expected after so many years of sewage sludge dumping and its impact on the sea bed’s sediment. Thankfully this practice no longer continues and we work closely with all other bodies to monitor the long term impact of this activity are ensure any negative effects are minimised as much as possible.”


Decision deferred on Black Craig
A DECISION on the proposed Black Craig windfarm at the south end of Cowal has been deferred for a further three weeks to allow the developer time to submit more information.
The matter came before Bute and Cowal Area Committee at Tuesday’s meeting in the Queen’s Hall, and was introduced by David Eaglesham, of Argyll and Bute’s planning services.
Councillor Dick Walsh, in whose ward the wind turbine site is located, was adamant that there was enough information to proceed with the presentation and consider the application.
He said that he had never before seen a report with so many strong objections. He pointed out that the council’s planners had asked for supplementary information as far back as November last year, but had not received a response, yet on March 8 - only a couple of weeks before the scheduled area committee meeting, the developer was asking for a continuation.
Mr Eaglesham said that there had in fact been meetings with the developer, who had been advised that he could either resubmit the application or carry out further surveys.
Further information was being prepared, but might not be available until June, and if the matter went to a hearing it might well clash with the progress of the local plan.
While he felt that under current policy there was a strong case for refusal, he cautioned that it was important for the council not to appear unreasonable. It should be consistent in its approach in terms of how it had dealt with other windfarm applications. In these circumstances he would reluctantly recommend deferment.
Cllr Walsh pointed out that, according to Scottish Natural Heritage the area supported golden eagles, and that there were surely sufficient grounds to determine the application.
Mr Eaglesham said that if the matter went to appeal it was important that the council was seen to be making every attempt to be fully informed, for this would deflect any possible criticism of the handling of the application.
However, it was clear that the counclllors felt any failings in terms of the application rested squarely with the applicant.
Despite being sited on Cowal, the proposed windfarm faces Bute, and the visual impact will be on residents of Rothesay and Port Bannatyne,
Bute Councillor Len Scoullar said that despite three meetings, the developer had failed to provide any detail to either the council or SNH.
“You don’t need to wait until spring to create photomontages,” he added. “We were promised these last November, and we’re still waiting for them.”
Cllr Brian Chennell said that it might be construed as being unreasonable at the appeal if the council was perceived as having rushed the matter.
Mr Eaglesham said that it might be the case that later in the year there would be a policy change at Executive level, or that the local plan might throw up other issues.
Cllr Walsh said that he had personal views in terms of the lack of impartiality of the reporter who would be responsible for the appeal.
Cllr Chennell said that it was important to ensure that the council’s actions were ‘robust’ and above criticism.
The meeting concluded with a decision to defer the matter until the next meeting, which is set for three weeks’ away.


CalMac name change for Gourock-Dunoon
Uncertainty over the future of the Gourock-Dunoon ferry service resurfaced last week as Caledonian MacBrayne revealed that it plans to transfer the employment of all shore-based Dunoon staff to a new, separate company - Cowal Ferries Limited - with effect from April 1 this year.
CalMac says that ticketing arrangements will change slightly after the changeover, with CalMac Ferries Ltd acting as an agent for the new company. All pre-purchased tickets, including hopscotch tickets will be unaffected.
A total of ten staff in Dunoon and seven in Gourock (just those who sell tickets) are affected by the move to Cowal Ferries Ltd.
In a letter to staff from Human Resources Director Alan Moffat, the company states:
“I am now writing to inform you of the proposal to transfer the business and certain employees of CalMac Ferries Limited located at Gourock and all of the employees at Dunoon to the new company, Cowal Ferries Limited.
“The employees who will not transfer to the new company but will remain with CalMac Ferries Limited are the Port Manager and pierworkers based at Gourock.”
Elsewhere in the letter, CalMac Ferries Ltd blames the move on a requirement within the Scotttish Executive ‘Invitation to Tender’ document linked to the current tendering process for the west coast routes.
CalMac’s Head of Communication and Customer Care, Hugh Dan MacLennan confirmed that the Cowal Ferries Ltd headquarters will be within CalMac Ltd’s Gourock office. Cowal Ferries Ltd will be a subsidiary of CalMac, wholly owned by the Scottish Ministers, and the new company will in effect carry on as before, in all but name.
Cowal Ferries Ltd was formed as a private company on August 9 last year.
Its Registered Office changed in February 2007 from an address in Aberdeen to the Ferry Terminal, Gourock. There are three directors, Alexander Lynch, Lawrie Sinclair (who is also MD of CalMac) and Peter Timms (who is also Chairman of CalMac).
There are suspicions that the move to separate the Gourock-Dunoon service by CalMac is a precursor to shedding the route altogether, but Hugh Dan MacLennan said: “This is all to satisfy the tender process requirements, which are contained in the Invitation to Tender document. We need to ring-fence the Gourock-Dunoon route from the rest of the network as part of the tender bid.”
The tendering process across all Clyde and Hebridean routes has a deadline for bids of May 11, but seems to have ground to a halt, with no bids on the table to rival CalMac.
A total of around £15 million has so far been spent by the Executive on the tendering process.
This begs the question: Why waste more time and taxpayers’ money forming artificial companies to suit a tendering process which is dead in the water?
Local ferry campaigner Neil Kay says: “The real headline today is “The Executive makes CalMac abandon Gourock-Dunoon and leaves the population of Cowal and Inverclyde to a Western Ferries monopoly.
“And anyone who thinks this is a one-off restricted to Cowal is mistaken. What has happened to the public service here can be, and will be, repeated over much of the network given the restrictions placed on the main CalMac tender.”


SEEING DOUBLE
THE controversy over the painting of double yellow lines in Dunoon’s Alexander Street shows no sign of going away.
The yellow lines were applied in July last year and aroused a storm of protest from residents. who have been demanding their removal.
They have been supported by local MP Alan Reid and the ward councillor for the area, Gordon McKinven.
The argument centres around the traffic order under which the restrictions were put in place; it doesn’t specify Alexander Street - in fact it doesn’t specify any streets by name - it refers instead to ‘various streets’ and it was only when yellow lines appeared that residents knew that one of the ‘various streets’ concerned was the one they were living on.
Angry residents took up metaphorical cudgels to persuade the council to change its mind.
Two of them were invited to address the area committee on the matter in January 2007. at which time they were promised a response.
“We’re still waiting for it,” said one of them, who asked not to be named.
However, the residents have taken other steps to have the decision rescinded. “We first sought the advice of a local lawyer,” he explained, “And he expressed serious doubts about the legality of what had been done.
The group has since taken the matter to an Edinburgh solicitor who specialises in issues such as this.
“Her view is even more damning,” said the spokesman. “This could have extremely serious ramifications for the council, for if they’ve got this wrong to the same extent elsewhere, it could render thousands of parking tickets invalid.”
She has reviewed the papers referring to the order and advises in a letter that there are ‘many flaws in the process from beginning to end’.
She goes on to say that the description ‘various roads’ was totally inadequate. She did not accept he contention by the council that it was ‘unrealistic’ to name all 56 streets concerned - it was quite reasonable and usual for such a notice to list a large number of streets.
The letter also points out that the failure to identify the streets concerned meant that people were unaware that their streets were affected and were therefore denied the opportunity to object.
The council, she concludes, would face a barrage of claims should it attempt to enforce the order, and she suggests that the appropriate course of action would be for the council to remake the order, but follow the correct procedure.
A council spokeswoman said: “We are awaiting sight of the letter from the solicitors in Edinburgh.
“Upon receiving it we will consider their points carefully and offer our views.”