Toxins in the air, toxins in the soil - still ministers won't act on Grenfell | Seraphima Kennedy

The shocking report on pollution levels after the fire is another hammer blow for the stricken tower block's residentsIt is news that no one wants to hear. Independent research from Prof Anna Stec at the University of Central Lancashire, released on Thursday, shows heightened levels of cancer-causing chemicals in the area around Grenfell Tower. Phosphorous flame retardants, toxic to the nervous system, were found in soil samples 50 metres from the tower. Dust and oily deposits were wiped from the blinds of homes close to the tower 17 months later. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were found at 160 times the level of reference samples 140m from Grenfell, along with chemicals that can cause asthma with a single exposure. These are not at naturally occurring levels in most urban environments.This is truly shocking. From the beginning, residents have asked the local authority and Public Health England about contamination. The problem was obvious. For days after the fire black smoke hung in the air, and contaminated homes, clothing and furniture. For months, charred black ash rained down on people's balconies, gardens, clothes lines and bins. Continue reading...