Chemicals in Shannon

Anamhaith

Three people I know in Shannon have recently had Downs Syndrome babies and every time I talk to an old friend in Shannon I hear of yet another person who is sick or has died. Both my parents (who lived in Shannon for thirty years) died of cancer at a relatively young age despite the fact that they didn't smoke, drank little and had healthy lifestyles.
I have long believed that there are/were chemicals of some sort affecting the health of people in Shannon and I'm interested to hear the views of other people.

clintondaly

http://www.thejournal.ie/smell-shannon-1099387-Sep2013/

http://www.clarechampion.ie/anger-over-shannon-smell-at-public-meeting/

http://www.epa.ie/newsandevents/incidents/recent/name,52425,en.html

There has been ongoing concern over the last 3-4 years with it coming to a climax late last year,it had been presumed that it was coming from a Chemical Factory (whom i wont name).
Living in Shannon i have experienced it myself and it has been unbearable at times.
I do know from cycling in Shannon and doing the cylcle down to the sewerage traetment plant that the smell down there is horrendous sometimes when it is being agitated and depending on wind direction it blows the smell back in the town direction.
There were measures taken down there to try and improve the situation and as far as i remember it hasnt been that bad this year,but does still occur occasionally.

There are some news links above and a link to the EPA website where it was looking into it at the time.

Anamhaith

Thanks, that's really helpful.


“There is a suspicion that there is a high rate of cancer here and people are worried for their health in general because you have this vile smell when you step outside your door and it’s very unpleasant,” he said. “We want the EPA to come in and do a 24 hour monitor of the air because people don’t know what they’re breathing in.”

Data from the National Cancer Registry (NCRI) does not point to a cancer cluster in the Shannon area and a local GP told TheJournal.ie that they have not noticed any particular increase in rates over the last number of years. However an NCRI spokesperson said it would require a complex study of the area to determine this."

This is especially interesting, and I'm fairly sure that it will emerge that there is in fact a 'cancer cluster in the Shannon area'.