A CROWDFUNDING page has been launched by campaigners hoping to raise the thousands of pounds needed to mount a legal challenge against plans to process incinerator ash on Barry docks.

The Docks Incinerator Action Group (DIAG) recently announced their intention to take the Vale of Glamorgan council to court over the approval of plans to process Incinerator Bottom Ash (IBA) at a plant on Wimbourne Road.

In addition to securing legal aid, the group - who believe that the ash is far more dangerous than Environment Agency reports claim - need to raise £5000 to take the issue to court.

The group also say that the nature of the way the ash is stored - in piles, outdoors - is a danger to the public's health, claiming that strong winds will carry dust into residential areas around the dock and Barry town centre.

The Vale of Glamorgan council granted permission for a Hampshire based company to process the ash in Barry in September and have said that they are "wholly satisfied that the development will not have adverse environmental impacts" have submitted a "robust rebuttal" to the legal challenge.

DIAG member Max Wallis said: "It doesn’t require expertise to know that ash from waste incineration contains toxic metals because we all know the types of wastes put into black bags.

"The invisible dust is worse than fumes from an incinerator, with micro-dust particles sticking in lung tissues.

"While nearby residents are worst hit, the whole town centre and Barry Island will receive doses of the toxic metals that originate from black-bag and industrial wastes from all over south east Wales..

"Planning Policy Wales tells Councils that 'avoiding risks to human health' is a principle of waste management. Their madness lies in closing their minds to evidence and dismissing the risks of these toxic dust particles to human health, particularly to children."

A Vale council spokesman said that the decision to approve plans was made with "due regard to all of the relevant policy and legislative requirements".

The crowdfunding appeal is at www.gofundme.com/a97hmjnu with information available o Facebook at No Barry Ash Dump.