SIX homes in Weston village were this week given the all-clear by chemical giant ICI in the latest search for the toxic gas hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD).

Properties immediately beside two contaminated quarries were tested in a second round of indoor air monitoring.

It follows the discovery in January of toxic vapours seeping into homes from underground former chemical dumps.

Scientists are now using more highly sensitive equipment which can detect 200 times lower than the acceptable level of 0.6 parts per billion.

The latest round of air monitoring uses a method capable of quantifying HCBD down to 0.003 parts per billion.

They will be testing around 120 homes in the green zone over the next 12-15 weeks as part of a rolling programme to see if seasonal variations have any effect on the gas.

HCBD was detected in four Weston homes, west of the north quarry, last week. Two of these properties in Weston Road had already proved positive in the first phase of tests.

ICI advised residents in the two newly-detected properties to leave but a company spokesman said they chose to stay. However, one family has since moved.

Altogether, 23 homes in Weston village and the scout hut have tested positive with HCBD.

An ICI spokesman said this week: "ICI has communicated these results to the residents and is in regular contact with them.

"ICI believes it has acted fairly in its dealings with residents of Weston. The fact that the majority of the families most affected have agreed to house moves, funded entirely by ICI, is evidence that its efforts have, on the whole, met the needs of the community."

Five families remain in their homes through their own choice, 11 families have left the village and moved into alternative properties. Most have bought new homes in other areas.

Four families are in rented accommodation.

Three families are still in hotels. Two of these are planning to move soon to temporary or permanent accommodation, leaving just one family remaining in a hotel.

An ICI spokesman added: "ICI has supported residents needing to move in this difficult period since January by providing them with either rented housing or high quality hotel accommodation while they looked for broadly equivalent properties to purchase.

"ICI has had a number of housing support packages in place to facilitate the moves by residents.

"Amongst other measures ICI has also made compensation payments for anxiety and concern to those residents living within the ICI's defined areas, adjacent to the former quarries."

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