COWDENBEATH MSP Annabelle Ewing feels that the decision to shut the Fife Ethylene Plant for a period of four weeks is the right way to deal with the boiler problem at the Mossmorran facility.

Commenting on the news that the ExxonMobil plant at the Mossmorran Petrochemical complex is to be shut down for a month, Ms Ewing said: “Shutting down the pant was the sensible decision in the circumstances with two of the three boilers being out of action.

"The alternative for my constituents does not bear consideration, as it would probably involve an entire month of flaring activity.

“The equipment failure and consequent which led to this shutdown is just the latest example of the issues that are facing my constituents. Even before the closure was announced I had written to the Cabinet Secretary for the Environment urging her to intervene and stressing my backing for the establishment of an independent inquiry to consider the health and environmental impacts of the repeated flaring".

Ms Ewing added:“I also want to see SEPA using its influence to ensure that any licence variations which are proposed following the ongoing Best Available Techniques (BATS) process will include imposing conditions about investment in the plant by the operator to ensure that such incidences are seen as an absolute exception rather than, as has become the case in recent months, the norm.

“It is fair to say that my constituents are utterly frustrated and fed up at the to-ing and fro-ing between ExxonMobil and SEPA and question their understanding of the term ‘final warning’ is the same as everyone else’s.

“There is a real sense that SEPA’s response to date has been too little, too late and action must be taken if ExxonMobil are to continue to operate at Mossmorran.”