Complaint
The programme dealt with the occasion in 1988 when a large quantity of aluminium sulphate was inadvertently added to the water supply for Camelford, leading to the biggest mass poisoning in UK history. A scientist who had conducted investigations into two victims whose cases featured prominently in the programme complained that the programme was misleading in omitting the information he had provided which demonstrated aluminium poisoning had been the primary cause of their respective illnesses and deaths. The ECU considered the complaint in the light of the BBC’s editorial standards of accuracy.
Outcome
While acknowledging that the complainant’s conclusions about the two cases had support from peer-reviewed scientific publications, the ECU considered the programme’s treatment of these cases accurately reflected a situation where the Coroner had found that, though the pollution incident might have contributed to or caused the deaths, there was not sufficient evidence to say so conclusively.
Not upheld
