We want the Government to introduce a national minimum requirement for all new quarry sites to be at least 1,500 metres away from all residential settlements (10 or more homes), schools, hospitals and care facilities.
Silica dust can displaced onto areas that are adjacent to quarries. Silica dust can be very hazardous to health, impacting young children and the elderly in particular, and can lead to silicosis. Silicosis can lead to other serious lung diseases such as COPD and lung cancer. One study of US quarry sites found levels of silica in the air nearby were 10 times higher than recommended exposure limits.