T&G calls for toxic waste driver study
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by Karen Miles • Fears over the effect of toxic waste on babies born near landfill sites have led to calls for the health of lorry drivers delivering to those sites to come under scrutiny.
Landfill digger drivers, and waste drivers delivering frequently into sites, can spend much of their working lives close to toxic waste and should therefore be part of the forthcoming government-commissioned study on the issue, says the Transport and General Workers Union.
The call follows the publication of a paper in last week's medical journal, The Lancet, which said that babies born within two miles of toxic waste dumps were 33% more likely to suffer birth defects.. However, the paper's authors said they did not know if toxic waste was the cause. The Government has briefed Imperial College in London to conduct further research into the subject. This is due to start later this year—but researchers will not be asked to study the health of children born to site workers or frequent visitors to toxic waste sites.
A Department of Transport spokesman claims there is "no basis" for worry over these children.
But the T&G says this decision is just another example of the "poor old driver being left out again". National secretary Danny Bryan says: "These are the sort of people who can work hour after hour with toxic waste—it isn't just local residents who might be affected by a site.
"We will be approaching them [the researchers] to include drivers in their examinations," he adds.