A report compiled by Council officers, and which included the opinions of Envirocentre, the local authority's contractor for the 'North Shore' site in Ardrossan, was presented, with councillors asked to “note” the findings. However, in an amendment, Cllr McNicol moved that officers be instructed “not to proceed with the plan to build new schools and leisure facilities on toxic, contaminated land at the former Shell-Mex site in Ardrossan”.
In addition, Ronnie McNicol asked councillors to support his call that officers also should examine if the land at the 'North Shore' site could ever be safely used “for any purpose”, such as an environmental beach-park and walkway. The Saltcoats councillor further argued that officers should “investigate why Shell was allowed to walk away from Ardrossan, leaving behind a large area of highly toxic, contaminated land”.
The Council report supported the opinion of Envirocentre that the toxic land could be cleaned sufficiently to allow for schools and a leisure facility to be built on it and used by local people, including school pupils aged 5-to-18.
However, speaking to his amendment, Cllr McNicol pointed out that Envirocentre, themselves, said their proposals to clean the land would only “limit risk to human health”. The Independent councillor said, “Note it does not say it will remove risk to human health. Why not build schools on a site that does not present a risk to human health? Even a limited risk to human health presents the chance that, in the future, young people, teachers and other facility users could become unwell, possibly seriously unwell. Why take that chance when there are numerous other, and safe, sites that could be used?”
Reading from the Council/Envirocentre report, Cllr McNicol referred to a long-list of contaminants in the soil of the 'North Shore' site, including: heavy metals, asbestos, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, selenium and zinc.
Addressing councillors, Ronnie McNicol said, “On Arsenic, the World Health Organisation states: 'Early childhood exposure to Arsenic has been linked to negative impacts on cognitive development and increased deaths in young adults'.
“Of Asbestos, the Health & Safety Executive says: 'When materials that contain asbestos are disturbed or damaged, fibres are released into the air. When these fibres are inhaled they can cause serious diseases. These diseases will not affect you immediately; they often take a long time to develop, but once diagnosed, it is often too late to do anything'.
“NHS Inform says of Lead: 'Exposure to Lead can be harmful especially to unborn babies and young children. Children absorb more lead than adults due to their growing bones and other organs', with a prominent symptom of Lead poisoning in children being 'developmental delay and learning difficulties'.
“Of Mercury, the World Health Organisation says: 'Exposure to mercury – even small amounts – may cause serious health problems, and is a threat to the development of children'.”
The long-serving councillor continued, “Membranes are to be laid across the site, in the hope that this will stop contaminants from reaching the surface. Then, environmental capping will be applied to certain areas. Environmental capping is laying down topsoil to a general depth of 60cm or just 2ft of safe soil.
“Again, despite claims that contaminants will be removed, the report states that the footprint of all buildings will have hydrocarbon and ground gas resistant membranes installed, while water supply pipes and utility service connections will require additional protection – all to try and minimise the impact of 'residual contaminants'. So, all contaminants are not expected to be removed, and yet the Council proposes to build schools on this land.”
Cllr McNicol concluded, “There are numerous other sites – safe sites – in the local area that could be used for new schools and leisure facilities. This proposal for the former Shell Mex site should not go ahead. It is madness.
“All I can say to councillors who might be minded to support building schools on a toxic, contaminated site is: I hope you are right that the site can be cleaned. I hope you are right, because if you are not right, and in the future young people and teachers become ill, then responsibility for that will be on your heads.”
Despite Cllr McNicol's chilling warnings of the contaminants at the proposed school site, and how they present specific dangers to young people, all Labour and SNP councillors present at the meeting voted against the amendment and for the report to continue with proposals to build new schools and a leisure centre. All-but-one of the Tory Group also voted to ignore Ronnie McNicol's warnings.
Cllr McNicol's amendment received support from his fellow Independent councillors, Robert Barr, Ian Murdoch, Donald L Reid, and one Tory, John Glover.
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