Teachers to strike on health fears at school landfill site

● Calls for a public enquiry after four teachers diagnosed with rare cancer

Teachers at a school built on a toxic landfill site where four staff were diagnosed with the same rare cancer have voted to strike over health fears.

Two of the four teachers at Buchanan High School in Nor th Lanarkshire with the form of bladder cancer have spoken out for the first time and called for a public enquiry.

A public meeting last week was packed with angry parent sand staff demanding answers over serious concerns about the safety of the toxic waste site in Coatbridge.

Buchanan High, which provides special needs education, and St Ambrose High share the campus built on a former landfill site used by Gartsherrie Ironworks for industrial waste, including hazardous substances such as arsenic.

Last year pupils and staff were told to drink bottled water after the mains supply ran blue. The NASUWT union said teachers have been left with no choice, but to take industrial action.

Union spokesman Eddie Carroll said: “None of our teachers have taken this step lightly.” The two teachers, who worked in the same corridor at Buchanan High, have now both now retired, but have urged all their former colleagues and pupils to have full health checks.

One of the teachers, aged 69, who moved with pupils to the new school when it opened in 2012, said: “I decided to speak out because I was so angry after attending the public meeting on Thursday.

“We were asked to believe categoric assurances that the school was safe, but no convincing evidence was presented to back that up.”

The teacher added: “Frankly, it being revealed four of us had bladder cancer was a huge relief. A great weight was taken off our shoulders because finally the truth was out.”

The teacher, who was diagnosed last May, has had a large tumour removed from his bladder. He is still undergoing chemotherapy.

North Lanarkshire Council decided on the site for the two new schools at the former G art sherrie works despite local opposition.

A council spokesperson said: “Specialist doctors from the public health department of NHS Lanarkshire have confirmed that no incidence of cancer is linked to the schools.

“They have also confirmed that no other serious illness is connected to the schools or the site on which they are built.”