'Site could be a danger to the town'

A past employee of Baxenden Chem-icals in Union Lane thinks the site should be named, along with others, as being potentially hazardous in case of an accident because it is close to houses, the town centre and the railway station.

The worker, who did not wish to be named, made the claims after reading about possible hazardous sites named by Worcestershire County Council and other safety organisations in the region.

The report named factories producing fuel and chemicals which could be targeted by terrorists or which have the potential for a major disaster similar to that at the Buncefield depot near Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, in December.

The sites include The Potter Group in Kidderminster Road, Droitwich; Poly-merlatex Limited, near Bromsgrove, and Roxel at Summerfield, near Kidder-minster. Baxenden Chemicals, however, did not appear on the list.

It was this omission that decided the former employee to announce his claim.

"Baxenden Chemicals, sited close to housing, the town centre and the railway station, is a manufacturer using potentially hazardous and flammable materials," he said.

"Shouldn't those residents in the vicinity of the factory be advised by Worcestershire County Council with regard to this?"

A spokesman for the county council said that the authority and safety organisations had looked at sites across the area and were aware of all such sites.

"Assessments have been carried out but only three sites have been highlighted as potentially hazardous. Plans are always changing and we are prepared to look at other sites that are brought to our attention," he said.

A spokesman for Baxenden Chemicals said: "We have not been mentioned on the list of potentially hazardous sites because we do not fall under the same safety category as the other factories.

"They use more serious chemicals than our site. We are not included on the list and that speaks for itself."