THURROCK Council is setting up a dedicated hotline for Tilbury residents to report issues linked to dust pollution from the town’s port, following years of complaints and growing health concerns.
Speaking at a place overview and scrutiny committee meeting on Thursday, Michael Dinneen, assistant director for community protection and enforcement services, said the council was taking “immediate steps” to improve its response to the long-standing issue.
“My initial action was to meet with the chairman of the Tilbury Residents’ Forum, alongside councillors Roy Jones and Mark Hooper,” he said. “This was a constructive meeting that allowed residents to explain how they’ve been affected by dust for a number of years.”
Following that, Mr Dinneen attended a dust management meeting involving the Port Health Authority, Environment Agency, port operators, and the council’s air quality officer. He confirmed that a joint site visit had already taken place and that he would meet with the Environment Agency later this month to discuss regulated sites under their jurisdiction.
In a significant move, Mr Dinneen announced the creation of a new out-of-hours call-out process specifically for Tilbury dust complaints. “This service doesn’t currently exist,” he said, “but it will allow the council to respond immediately when required.”
He also confirmed plans to speak with two companies “of concern” at the port, with further engagement to follow. Mr Dinneen revealed that a dust analysis was carried out four or five years ago prior to the opening of Tilbury2, and said he had requested the findings to be sent to him. Discussions with public health officials are underway to determine whether a new analysis should be commissioned, given residents’ belief that Tilbury2 has significantly increased dust levels.
Labour councillor Steve Liddiard, who represents Tilbury St Chads, said: “Tilbury people feel their health is being affected by the dust. If you look at the statistics, mortality is much earlier than in other parts of Thurrock—and they blame the dust from the port. Those beliefs are widespread across Tilbury.”
The move comes amid renewed community pressure, with residents and campaigners calling for stronger regulation and independent testing. Previous studies found traces of heavy metals in the dust, and campaigners argue that long-term exposure—even at low levels—could pose health risks.
The port was approached to comment.
