A LANCASTER factory has been named and shamed as one of the North West's worst polluters.

Accordis on Caton Road features strongly in a Friends of the Earth survey drawing attention to companies releasing pollutants into the air.

The environmental pressure group has used Government statistics to compile the Factory Watch league table which puts Accordis in second place in the region for releasing suspected carcinogens.

Particular concern has been expressed about the release into the atmosphere of 'dichloromethane,' a toxic substance which has a number of suspected health hazards.

The survey found that the North West was the most polluted region in the country and, although the amount of toxins released into the atmosphere are within Government guidelines, the FoE are campaigning to have the permitted levels reduced.

A FoE spokesman said that the long-term health effects of these substances was unclear and that it was better to be safe than sorry. The Factory Watch findings have stunned local environmentalists, with another 10 other companies based in Lancaster and Morecambe featuring on the list.

"According to the FoE survey this one factory is responsible for 2 per cent of the national output of dichloromethane and that's only air pollution. Who knows if any of these substances find their way into the River Lune," said Green candidate, John Whitelegg. "I am very worried indeed that Lancaster has come out so badly in a national survey of potentially health damaging pollution from factories. Lancaster is a small urban area and the factories are very close to residential areas where a lot of people live and work. Technology should be in place to reduce this pollution toa fraction of current levels and I want to know what measures are being taken."

The Citizen were unable to obtain a comment from Accordis atthe time of going to press.