RESIDENTS concerned about ash clouds hanging over West Fife have been told it does not contain asbestos.

MSP Shirley Anne Somerville welcomed that reassurance but said they pose "serious health and environmental implications" for locals and called on Scottish Power to act now.

The clouds of ash, from the Valleyfield ash lagoons that were used by Longannet Power Station, have lingered for two weeks.

Ms Sommerville said: “Although the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) have confirmed that there is no asbestos present in the ash cloud, which was a concern that had been raised by locals, this is a serious issue.

"There are serious health and environmental implications concerning the ash cloud, and I would urge Scottish Power to act swiftly.

“I have also contacted NHS Fife to seek public health guidance regarding what precautious locals should take. I would advise local people with respiratory conditions to be particularly cautious.

“Finally, I have contacted local schools and other parties who have got in touch over this issue, to reassure them that I am taking every step available to me to ensure that the relevant authorities resolve the matter urgently.”

The issue was raised in the Press last week by Fiona Day, of Main Street in Torryburn, who was concerned about the health impact of the ash and contacted Sepa before Easter.

She was told there was a problem and was advised that anyone with respiratory problems should be kept inside until it was resolved.

Fiona had said: “Both my sons have asthma and one has brittle asthma and could be affected badly by this.

“The local area is covered in this dirt.

“I had one of my sons at hospital today and he is now on strong medication for a chest infection. To me, it is all too coincidental."

Ms Somerville said that the lagoons are drying out, causing ash to be carried by the wind, and that when the power station was still operational, the ash was mixed with water, transported and safely deposited in the lagoons.

The Dunfermline MSP wants the situation brought under control as soon as possible and said: "Scottish Power have told me that they have doubled the number of vehicles being used to dampen the ash, and that they have located a water source which they are using to facilitate this increased work.

"With increased dampening, Scottish Power are working to resolve this issue as soon as possible."

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