Families’ 13-year legal battle in Scotland’s own Toxic Town

Marie Wilson believes her family’s health has been affected by living on the Watling Street site in Motherwell.

Scots families are locked in a 13-year legal battle, claiming homes built on toxic land caused long-term health problems including birth defects in their children.

Around 70 claims centre on housing built on a former Motherwell munitions site near the former steelworks at Ravenscraig and blame toxins leaching from the ground for a range of illnesses, including around a dozen babies with birth defects or serious long-term illnesses.

Other claimants believe debilitating conditions including heart and stomach problems, constant nose bleeds, fatigue and depression were caused by exposure to toxic substances on the sites.

Toxic Town

The fight by Scottish families mirrors the new Netflix series Toxic Town, which tells the story of mothers from Corby, Northamptonshire, who took legal action over birth defects suffered by their children as a result of toxins from a former steelworks there.

Hundreds of Scots settled in Corby to work in the steel industry, and it took 14 years for determined mums there to win compensation for children born with defects to their arms and legs.

Netflix's Toxic Town. — Netflix’s Toxic Town.

The Motherwell families are appealing against a Court of Session judgment last year that ruled there was insufficient evidence to proceed – and are taking their case to the Supreme Court. Among them are ex-neighbours Liz Butler and Marie Wilson, two determined grandmothers who insist their catalogue of health problems were caused by toxins from the Motherwell site.

For almost 20 years the women lived next door to each other at Tiber Avenue, on the site of the original Motherwell Iron and Steel Works.

The Lanarkshire families are represented by Des Collins, the lawyer who won the Corby case and was played by actor Rory Kinnear in the TV series.

Des said: “When I began fighting for the Corby families, people from Motherwell and Ravenscraig came forward to tell me what was happening to them. Of course I was determined to help.

“It has been a torturous journey in and out of court, but we are determined to keep going with the case. We believe there is a case to answer just like there was in Corby.

“Just like the Corby families, the Scottish families faced many ups and downs.

“Among our cases there are around a dozen children with birth defects and serious long-term health problems.

“Others have suffered debilitating health issues we believe are linked to low-level poisoning – nausea, stomach problems, depression.

“We believe there are still victims out there who don’t even realise why they feel ill.”

He dismissed comparisons with US environmental warrior Erin Brockovich – played by Julia Roberts in the film of that name – who won millions in compensation for families poisoned by toxic water in Hinkley, California. He said: “I’m no Erin Brockovich, but I hope the Toxic Town series will open a lot of conversations about building on contaminated land.

“It concerns me deeply that because of the housing crisis we currently face, there is huge pressure to build on every available piece of land including sites like this. Decades ago, health and safety procedures were not as robust as they are today, which is why building on sites like Ravenscraig and Motherwell continue to cause concern.

“As Toxic Town showed, everyone living in Corby were aware of the red dust that got everywhere. But nobody at the time realised the horrific health problems that dust could cause. It took huge courage and determination from mothers who refused to give up fighting for their children before we finally won our case.

“I see the same determination in the Scots families who are still fighting their way through the Court of Session and the Supreme Court. They know they are not just fighting for themselves; they are fighting to make sure future generations are kept safe.”

Des is played by Rory Kinnear in Toxic Town.

Last year Lord Clark ruled there was not enough evidence to prove the case, which examines whether Lanarkshire Housing Association, owner of around a hundred properties on the Motherwell site, breached its statutory duties.

Families reported ailments including nosebleeds, headaches, sinus problems, dizziness, bowel problems, hay fever, asthma, itchiness, vomiting and diarrhoea.

Lanarkshire Housing Association has previously refused to comment.

Liz’s story

I told grandkids not to visit over fears for health

Liz Butler was delighted when she moved into her brand-new house on the Watling Street development in Motherwell.

But within months she began suffering debilitating health problems.

Liz, 65, said: “I became so ill, two years ago I couldn’t stand it any longer and I moved out. But living on top of toxic land had already destroyed my health.

“Doctors have warned me I’m at risk of developing blood cancer on top of all the other ailments which left me almost a prisoner in the home I blame for causing all my troubles.

“Recent tests show I have an enlarged heart. I’ve been dogged with constant fatigue, asthma and dizziness.

“My family suffered the same symptoms when they came to visit. Even my grandchildren would fall asleep instead of running around as they normally did at home. I became so concerned, I banned my kids and grandchildren from visiting because I worried it would affect their health.”

Liz says tests on her home found at least five toxins, among them TCE, or trichloroethylene – a chemical which causes cancer, heart issues and dizziness, and attacks the reproductive system. It was used widely in the weapons industry.

Liz said: “We were constantly ill, but people looked at us as if we were daft if I told them it was caused by the toxic land our houses were built on.”

Marie’s story

We are up against powerful organisations

Marie Wilson believes her family’s health has been affected by living on the Watling Street site in Motherwell.

The 62-year-old said: “Within weeks of moving into our new home, we began suffering health problems, asthma, dizziness, nausea. Chemical smells still waft up from the ground.

“We’ve spent years fighting for answers. Everyone keep passing the buck. We are stuck in a living nightmare. We’ve lost trust in all those who were supposed to ensure things like this did not happen.

“It’s all about money, not ordinary folk like us. We are up against powerful organisations who have limitless funds to back up their claims that nothing is wrong with the site. But we won’t be going away any time soon. We can’t. We are trapped here.

“It’s torture believing every breath might be poisoning you.”

Marie grew up streets away from where she lives now and remembers signs warning about contaminated land from her childhood.