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Inquiry questions long term effects on health of Camelford incident

London Kunal Khanna

It is unlikely that the chemicals involved in the 1988 Camelford water contamination incident in Cornwall caused any long term effects on health, says a report published last week.

The report, by a subgroup of the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment, a scientific committee that advises the Food Standards Agency and the Department of Health, says it found no conclusive link between the incident and the chronic symptoms and diseases reported.

However, the subgroup has recommended further work on the effects of the contaminants on neurological health, the effects on the development of children aged less than 1 year old at the time of the incident, and the incidence of diseased joints among people in the affected area.

The incident occurred when a contractor dumped 20 tonnes of aluminium sulphate directly into the water supply at the Lowermoor plant operated . . . [Full text of this article]

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Relevant Article

Disturbance of cerebral function in people exposed to drinking water contaminated with aluminium sulphate: retrospective study of the Camelford water incident

Paul Altmann, John Cunningham, Usha Dhanesha, Margaret Ballard, James Thompson, and Frank Marsh
BMJ 1999 319: 807-811. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Aluminium and Camelford

Christopher Exley, et al.
bmj.com, 5 Apr 2005 [Full text]

Handling of the Camelford incident by the Department of Health

Elizabeth J Sigmund
bmj.com, 7 Apr 2005 [Full text]

Limitations of the Camelford water inquiry

Douglas W Cross, et al.
bmj.com, 7 Apr 2005 [Full text]

aluminium toxicity largely demonstrated by literature

Marcantonio Bragadin
bmj.com, 7 Apr 2005 [Full text]

Lowermoor Subgroup and review of medical records

Frances D Pollitt
bmj.com, 12 May 2005 [Full text]