Cockenzie’s cost

Those who are currently 
waxing sentimental about the demise of Cockenzie Power 
Station would do well to temper their nostalgia with consideration of the heavy cost extracted by that plant in human lives.

I speak not only of the men who were killed during its 
construction, but also of the even greater number who suffered grave injury from exposure to asbestos during its operation, at a time when the dangers presented by that material were 
either unknown or suppressed.

Scrutiny of local medical 
practice records would, I have little doubt, reveal a legacy of respiratory injury every bit as grave as that left by the coal 
industry among its employees.

It is, alas, with some authority that I draw attention to such matters.

Perhaps the whole issue of asbestos-related injury would be worthy of a full-scale government investigation.

James Anderson

Garvald

Haddington, East Lothian