US campaigners calling on UK public for support

Campaigners in Mississippi have called on the British public for support amid claims that community members are suffering health issues after a nearby Drax-owned wood pellet plant breached pollution rules.

Krystal Martin, a resident of Gloster in the south-eastern US state, said the detrimental impact to the community caused by the nearby plant “should not be allowed”.

In a tearful video shared by campaign groups, Ms Martin said her mother has been suffering from asthma while others in the town are dealing with similar health issues.

“It’s really hurtful ... to know that my mom can’t enjoy life the way she used to in the way she used to like a year ago or maybe two years ago,” she said. “Knowing that she has to go back and forth from the doctor is heartbreaking.”

The Drax Amite plant in Gloster converts trees into wood pellets which are shipped to the UK for use at the firm’s power station near Selby, North Yorkshire.

It was fined $2.5 million (£1.9m) in 2020 for beaching air protection rules over the levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCS), exposure to which can cause a variety of health issues.

Residents from Gloster – and other US communities near wood pellet plants – have long been campaigning against the alleged environmental and health impacts, calling on the UK government to end biomass subsidies that help to support the industry.

Ms Martin said it is not known if the health issues are directly linked to pollution from the plant but cited consensus that VOCS can cause or worsen various conditions.