CONCERN continues to rise in Tilbury about the increasing impact of dust on people's health and well-being in the town.

Over recent years residents have reported an increase in the amount of dust that is settling on their homes, gardens and cars and they are pointing a finger of blame at relatively recently opened or expanding recycling plants at the Port of Tilbury or on independently-owned land to the east of the town.

Thurrock Nub News has reported on the concerns for several years, including the following report in May 2021.

A former Thurrock councillor and environment portfolio holder, Allen Mayes, made repeated claims that the problem was recognised and that something would be done – but residents say they have only seen things get worse, not better.

Mr Mayes is no longer on the council.

The Tilbury Community Forum is now actively championing the issue and its chairman, Craig Austin, has called on residents to help build up an impeachable body of evidence to show how serious the problem is.

He says the situation is 'a dust crisis' and adds: "If you're a Tilbury resident you're more than likely already impacted, with layers of dust on your car, on your garden furniture, your window ledges and, of course, the air you are breathing in every day.

"As a Tilbury resident your life expectancy is less than somebody who lives in Orsett!

"The forum has run a community poll and dust is high on local's people's agenda.

"It's been a problem for years but I don't think it's been as bad, and as consistently bad, as it is now."

He has spoken of the frustration felt by local people who have been pushed 'from pillar to post' by the authorities, with people saying 'it's not under our jurisdiction'.

The forum recently met with MP Jen Craft to discuss the dust issue.

Mr Austin wants to ensure that the campaign to improve things is evidence-based and the campaign has 'its ducks in a row', says: "Historically in all honesty, one of the barriers we have encountered is the community. The number of complaints doesn't give a true reflection of the scale of the problem – so 'statistically', there wasn't a problem.

"We would go to meetings, speak to businesses or departments and they would literally say there isn't a problem because we don't get a lot of complaints. It didn't give our argument any weight at all because people were happy to complain and post on Facebook but it wasn't followed up with a complaint.

"So we took a look at that and, digging a little deeper into it, complaining to the Environment Agency isn't easy and straight forward. Some complaints require specific locations that wouldn't always be to hand.

"There is also that apathy problem that we have with people saying 'what's the point, nothing changes'.

"We need more of the impact of the people. We need to report incidents so we have looked at ways of simplifying things so we have come up with the 'Dust Dashboard' which will make logging complaints and collecting data easier.

"It offers ways to connect with the environment agency, the council and ourselves. It is available by email if you would want it.

"We have also collated a 20 question dust survey for residents to complete."

To access the 'Dust Dashboard' email [email protected]

The next meeting of Tilbury Forum will be on Tuesday, 27 May at 7pm at Tilbury Community Centre on Civic Square.