photo 1At 6.45am this morning, a number of families and their children placed 88 ‘atoms’ of Radium around Lytham as a temporary art installation to highlight concerns about negative impacts of fracking on public health and the environment from radioactive discharge.

Radium is just one of the radioactive materials released from the earth when it is fractured in the fracking process. The “atoms” will be placed around Lytham and each one will have a message attached with the website www.frack-off.org.uk guiding the public to all the latest research. The atoms are made entirely from biodegradable materials.

Dave Martin, a Blackpool resident and father, said:

“I’m here with my family because we have a deep concern about the fracking process and the damage it will cause to the environment, not just now but in the years to come. We need to act to protect our children and our children’s children – before it is too late. Radium is invisible. By making it visible we hope to nudge people out of their out of their comfort zones and raise public awareness. France and Germany have banned this process because of the health concerns and we believe the UK should do the same.”

Ends

photo 2Note to editors

  1. The atomic number for Radium is 88
  2. More information on the environmental implications of fracking can be found here: http://frack-off.org.uk/
  3. The Centre for Alternative Technology – ‘Why we can’t have fracking’ http://blog.cat.org.uk/2014/05/16/review-why-we-cant-have-fracking/
  4. Greenpeace’s report on fracking and shale gas