Swansea residents will be urged to stop paying their water rates if the Government presses ahead with plans to add fluoride to drinking water. That was the warning from the city’s Green Party if controversial plans to allow the mass fluoridation of water are given the go-ahead in the House of Commons next month.

Mount Pleasant resident Martin Shrewsbury, national health spokesman for the Green Party, said fluoride could be “extremely dangerous” to people’s long term health, warning: “I have threatened not to pay my rates if fluoridation is allowed. Hopefully other people will be encouraged to do the same.” The Government’s Water Bill has already come under intense fire from opponents who warn the long-term effects of mass fluoridation are unknown but could be linked to cancer, osteoporosis, kidney problems and skeletal fluorosis.

It is due to be debated in Parliament once MPs return to the Commons on September 8 but Mr Shrewsbury yesterday called on people to oppose the proposals now. “All medication has to be done by consent,” he said.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which is taking the Water Bill through Parliament, said existing legislation already allowed health authorities to demand fluoridation.

However water companies were reluctant to comply as they could be held responsible for any long-term impacts. The new legislation would rectify that, she said, by placing the onus of responsibility on health authorities and the taxpayer.

Swansea MP Donald Anderson said he would consider all scientific advice but warned the arguments against putting additives in water had “long gone”.

Print PDF