Toxic Town families call for more water testing

Families linked to a town where a toxic waste scandal occurred may crowdfund to pay for further water tests after metals that could be harmful to aquatic life were found in waterways near waste sites, they said.

In the 1980s, when Corby's steelworks were cleared, toxic waste was moved through the town in uncovered lorries, which was believed to have caused birth defects in children.

Following concerns about current contamination, charity Earthwatch Europe worked with volunteers in November to test 59 sites across Corby and found metals at levels that could pose a risk to aquatic life.

The Environment Agency and North Northamptonshire Council said they would review the findings.

The Environment Agency added it would "support and advise" the council and Earthwatch Europe "on their next steps".

Testing was carried out after campaigners called for the council to reveal a list of sites where toxic waste was buried amid fears that industrial pollution also caused childhood cancers in the area.

The authority had since agreed to set up a working group to examine public health and contamination issues in the town.

Tracey Taylor, who was depicted in the Netflix drama Toxic Town, said she planned to write to local MPs and seek support from the local authority to help fund future water testing.

"For me, this has never been about compensation; it's been about getting an apology and also making sure that this land and the area of Corby is safe for, not only the people that are living here now, but for future generations," she said.

"We would like to try and get more water testing done in the summer, along with Earthwatch; that is all down to funding.

"Hopefully, the government and North Northamptonshire Council will come on board and help fund that and work with us."

Taylor, whose daughter Shelby Anne died at four days old, added that without support from the government and the local authority, she and campaigners would start a crowdfunding campaign.

"We'll do charity events and make sure that money is there so that testing can carry on going," she said.

Dr Sasha Wood from Earthwatch Europe, who led the testing, said "working with the community in Corby" helped to "gather a detailed snapshot of freshwater metal pollution across the town".

"The findings indicate that some metals are present at levels that could pose a risk to aquatic life, particularly in areas close to known historic waste sites," she said.

The charity added the findings "complement" what they "already know about metal pollution" in the town and highlighted that further investigation was needed.

Andy Hinde, whose son was diagnosed with a rare cancer at 17 months old, said the latest findings should "put more pressure on the council" to listen to resident concerns.

"This is a piece of a jigsaw; it's piecing together that there are alarms around contamination within the water," he said.

"The theory we've had in the background is the contamination of land and that contamination seeps into somewhere, so it's obviously gone into the water systems."

Taylor added: "We're a strong force all of us together, and between us we'll keep fighting it."

In 1980, millions of tonnes of contaminated waste were moved to Deene Quarry on the outskirts of Corby during the steelworks clearance.

In 2009, 18 families took Corby Borough Council to the High Court.

Justice Akenhead ruled in their favour after hearing that heavy metal cadmium had been identified at the former steelworks and found the council negligent in managing the waste.

Corby Borough Council was abolished in 2021 and replaced by North Northamptonshire Council.

The council said it "recognises the understandable strength of feeling amongst the residents of Corby in relation to the historic and emotive issue of contaminated land".

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