LOCAL MINES MUST NOT STORE HAZARDOUS MERCURY WASTE-HALL

 Fiona Hall MEP for Billingham and the North East, has abstained from voting on the European Parliament’s amendments for the storage of mercury waste.

The amendments proposed extending the type of storage that could be used for mercury waste to include ‘deep underground hard rock facilities’, which could include the former ICI anhydrite mines in Billingham. Although at this stage storage would be temporary, no time limit has been set for complete removal of the waste.

In a speech to the President of the European Parliament explaining why she abstained, Fiona said:

“When this regulation first came before Parliament I opposed attempts to allow mercury to be stored not only in salt mines but also in underground facilities adapted for waste disposal.

“It was clear that anhydrite mines were being included in the expanded definition and this was very worrying for the people of Billingham in my constituency who are fighting plans to use the former anhydrite mines under their homes for waste disposal.

“Unfortunately, EU Environment Ministers have reintroduced the possibility of storing mercury in sites other than salt mines, and have agreed to allow storage in deep underground hard rock formations.  As the Billingham anhydrite mines may come under this new definition of permitted sites I felt it necessary to abstain from voting.”