We had a look at satellite images, to see if we could see the extent of the air pollution from the Aggregates Industries depot. What we found was astonishing.
You can clearly see that the trees around the yard are covered in the pink dust -- this is obvious when you compare it to the lush green of the trees further away.
For a larger view, take a look for yourself on satelites.pro
There is a definite pink haze around the entire area, which can be seen by comparing the foliage along the railway tracks. But we can tell this isn't caused by the trains, as the trees and bushes further down the railway tracks are lush and green. There is little evidence of dust behind the yard to the east, whether this is because the lorries head West or because the wind is blowing West at the time the photo was taken, we can't tell.
The polluted area is easily distinguishable and covers both commercial and residential housing, with the pink smudge extending to King Edward's School. The trail of dust on the road, can clearly be seen trailing by Cathedral Primary School, which is just the other side of the railway tracks.
Lung x-ray of silicosis
We were told the aggregate being transported is crushed limestone, which is one of the materials associated with silicosis.
According to the NHS website, silicosis can occur in as little as six months under heavy exposure. Considering the eye damage suffered by James and David, we think that those of us working close to the site are probably suffering heavy exposure.
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