ICI has been branded a national leader in the release of cancer-inducing agents in a new report by green group Friends of the Earth.

Environment Agency data from 1996 puts ICI's Runcorn factory is the second worst emitter of carcinogenic chemicals to air in England and Wales, releasing 2.15 million kgs into the atmosphere.

And an FoE comparison with ICI's own data for 1997 showed that the amount has actually risen - to 2.68 million kgs.

Other local companies in the North West top 25 air polluters are Bush Boake Allen, Agrevo, Elf Atochem, British Gypsum and EVC.

FoE's Halton spokesman Viv Mountford said: "I was shocked to note that seven of the worst 25 are in Runcorn and Widnes. This level of emissions is directly due to the lack of tight regulation by the Envirnoment Agency."

And she urged the people of Halton to take a part in forcing change: "Ask your local factory what it is doing to clean up its act."

FoE's table showed that the release of chemicals linked to cancer was nine times worse in the North West than any other region of the country.

A survey of national health released in December showed that Halton had the third highest rate of cancer in the country, although there is no suggestion that this is caused by industrial pollution.

An ICI spokesman called the report a "regurgitation of out-of-date information" and branded the FoE approach as "alarmist, predictable and unnecessary".

The spokesman added: "We recognise that our local community trusts us to make chemicals in a way which safeguards the health of residents and employees and which does not harm the environment.

"This is a responsibility we take very seriously and there is no evidence of any ill health caused by our operations."

She added that monitoring of carcinogens in air around the site in 1997 showed levels that were so low they were almost undetectable.

New plant commissioned to further reduce emissions had been actively opposed by FoE, she said.

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