Grid to defy toxin ban
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.MINISTERS are planning to give the National Grid and the privatised electricity companies another pounds 230m windfall - by letting them continue to use some of the world's most dangerous chemicals in defiance of an international agreement.
The plans will intensify last week's furious row over the privatisation of the National Grid - and the huge special dividends its chairman and other directors will gain from the sale.
They are being promoted by the same minister - Tim Eggar, Minister of State at the Department of Trade and Industry - who last week led calls to the directors to waive the windfall dividends, totalling more than pounds 300,000.
This summer Mr Eggar wrote to the Department of the Environment to press it to allow the National Grid to go on using polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) indefinitely. Although the department initially resisted, officials admit it is now giving way.
PCBs have been known to be highly dangerous since the early Seventies, when they were identified as causes of cancer.
In 1990 the Government undertook to remove and destroy all "identifiable" PCBs by 1999. But the electricity industry - which has more than half a million transformers containing the chemicals - says it would cost pounds 380m to remove them and has lobbied for exemption.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments