Mossmorran: Angry residents organise protest outside Fife plant

A protest has been organised at the Mossmorran site in Fife to take place on Saturday morning.

Angry locals have organised the protest almost two weeks after the Fife chemical plant caused mass complaints to SEPA due to constant flaring.

SEPA received 380 complaints over two days after the flaring from the plant could be seen in Edinburgh.

The social media post arranging the event said: “There is a socially distant protest being arranged for this Saturday at 11am outside the Mossmorran Site.

The flaring above Mossmorran chemical plant in Fife. Pic: Ash Alay/ Elaine Green

“If you attend please follow social distance rules.

“Stay with your own or 1 other house hold and also please wear a mask.”

James Glen, chair of Mossmorran Action Group said:"This protest shows the frustration of residents near Mossmorran boiling over.

“There have been decades of inaction where empty promises have been made by operators, regulators and politicians, while flaring has got more frequent and intense.

“It is beyond disgraceful that Mossmorran is allowed to burn off thousands of tonnes of ethane in the middle of a climate emergency.

“People are sick fed up of being fobbed off while their health and well-being continues to suffer from the plant's operations.

“We challenge the local MP Neale Hanvey, local MSP Annabelle Ewing and the leaders of Fife Council Cllrs David Ross and David Alexander to stand in solidarity with local protestors."

ExxonMobil who operate the Ethylene Plant at Mossmorran said previously that there was an “isolated technical issue” with one of its machines and stressed the use of the flare is “completely safe.”

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