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'How will I breathe in 10 years?' - The #MMVF debate deepens in France

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France is the latest nation to witness citizens expressing concern over plants being built to manufacture Manmade Vitreous Fibres (MMVF) (pictured), or mineral wool as the insulation material is more commonly known. The wave of protests in France follows concern in the United States over pollution to the environment and health risks associated with mineral wool production, writes Martin Banks.

French newspaper L’Union recently reported on a gathering to debate the presence in France of mineral wool factories. The event was attended by 80 people who came to express their views during the debate in Soissons. Jean-Marie Carré, the president of local community association defended the arrival in the region of the Danish mineral wool company Rockwool.

The meeting was described as featuring “tense exchanges" between Jean-Marie Carré, and the rest of the audience, which included Guy Vignard, from a campaign organisation created to oppose another mineral wool factory in Moselle, of a size comparable to that envisaged in Soissons.

A woman in the audience voiced her worries: "I have lived in Ploisy for a year, I have a four-year old daughter. I am not reassured. How will I breathe in 10 years?” Another woman expressed alarm over the rise in pollution-related childhood cancers, saying that her son's oncologist told her about the rise.

Rockwool have strenuously rejected claims that their plants cause harmful emissions, including in documents on their website. The company has also emphasized the 150 direct and 400 indirect jobs that they believe the plant will create.

A recent report on France 2 television channel reported on residents’ concerns regarding the pollution they believe is caused by the mineral wool plant in Moselles.

The current public policy climate is increasingly dominated by people’s concerns about their health and environment issues.  It appears clear that this debate will continue, especially as the importance of home insulation is promoted by both French and European policymakers in the context of controlling global warming and emission of greenhouse gases, using energy efficiency measures such as insulation.

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