Writing to Public Health England and the Environment Agency following the large blaze still ongoing at Spring Mill Street, Imran Hussain MP has criticised both agencies for failing to do enough to protect public health and air quality.

Whilst the blaze started in the early hours of Monday 16 November 2020 and serious concerns have been raised over air quality caused by the burning of toxic rubber tyres, Public Health England has still not undertaken a health impact assessment and the Environment Agency’s air quality inspectors only visited the site today (Wednesday 18 November 2020).

However, Imran has stated that this is despite numerous demands from the Local Strategic Partnership, a body comprised of Bradford Council, West Yorkshire Police and West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service to oversee the response, for inspectors to visit and assess the site immediately.

Speaking on the response by Public Health England to the fire at Spring Mill Street, Imran said:

“The Environment Agency were fully aware of concerns at the Spring Mill Street site for several weeks and recognised the danger that a fire may pose to the public’s health, yet health impact assessments still haven’t taken place and air quality inspectors are only just today visiting the site.

“This dangerously lax response is putting local residents in danger and both Public Health England and the Environment Agency have serious questions to answer. I have therefore called for an urgent update from both organisations and for a health impact assessment to take place to protect not just residents, but those emergency services who are still at the scene fighting this fire.

“Assessments should have been conducted on the day that the blaze started and air quality inspectors should have visited the site as soon as it was secured, and there is no reason for either agency to be dragging their feet when public safety is at risk.

“As the blaze is expected to continue for several days, I also want to urge residents to remain indoors wherever possible and to keep their doors and windows closed at all times, and to stay away from the site to let the fire and rescue service do their job.”