A RESEARCHER is the latest to speak out against plans for a Carlisle incinerator as he believes there is a link between waste plants and infant mortality rates.

A former civil engineer and incinerator expert, Michael Ryan, is backing Carlisle's Green Party's opposition to the project proposed by Fortum Carlisle Limited on land south of Kingmoor Park Industrial Estate, following a permit approval by the Environment Agency.

A statement released by Carlisle's Green Party said: "If this development goes ahead now it will mean a 70m high chimney stack dominating the skyline, raised levels of nitrogen oxides, dioxins and particulates in the air." 

Mr Ryan lost both his teenage son to leukaemia in 1999 and his 14-week-old daughter in 1985 whilst living in Shrewsbury in Shropshire. Both are deaths which he believes had been caused as a direct result of 'harmful emissions and poor air quality'.

Mr Ryan discovered that one of his son's friends also died of leukaemia, making him believe there must be a connection and eventually led to him embarking on a career in research. 

Since then, he has been mapping out infant mortality rates across the country to where incinerators are present, often in low socioeconomic environments.

He states his research also provides evidence of a correlation between incinerators and increased asthma rates.

Michael's submission to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee about the government’s air quality strategy can be viewed online. 

His research in four wards surrounding the Edmonton incinerator, in the London Borough of Enfield, showed that the average infant mortality rate was 9.2 per 1,000 live births, which was fifteen times greater than the group of four Bromley wards which had the lowest average rate in London.

"I'm shocked and horrified every time I hear of a new plant opening, like the one in Carlisle," he said.

"It's being done on the back of false advice.

READ MORE: Health experts highlight health concerns over Carlisle incinerator

"They (UKHSA) say one thing but the data clearly shows there is an impact to health - it's a paradox. What would you rather take, someone's word or the data?" he said.

In a letter, penned by Dr. John Campbell; Dr. Helen Davison; Dr. Bill McClay; and Mr. Gareth Palliser MSc, they raise concerns that the Environment Agency has failed to 'protect' local people, highlighting significant health issues associated with burning plastic such as an increase in nitrous oxides in the air (pollutants associated with respiratory illnesses) as well as an increase in cancer-causing dioxins.

The UK Health Security Agency states that modern, well run and regulated municipal waste incinerators are not a significant risk to public health. 

A Public Health England statement on modern municipal waste incinerators study states: "While it is not possible to rule out adverse health effects from these incinerators completely, any potential effect for people living close by is likely to be very small.

"This view is based on detailed assessments of the effects of air pollutants on health and on the fact that these incinerators make only a very small contribution to local concentrations of air pollutants."

A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: "Following a public consultation, we have accepted a permit application for Kingmoor Energy from Waste, in Carlisle.

"We understand that this may not be the news some people were hoping for. However, we are unable to refuse a permit if we cannot find any evidence that the operation of such a site may cause significant harm to the environment or to human health.

"We would like to reassure members of the public that the operator will have to obtain written approval from us around specified plans and procedures that must be in place before operating. For example, the arrangements for monitoring emissions to air and clarification of waste acceptance procedures.

"Once the site is operational, our regular site inspections and pre-operational checks mean that we can ensure site operators are clear about their responsibilities to meet their environmental permit conditions and operate in a way that protects the environment," they said.