AN ENVIRONMENTAL campaigner has blasted the ‘slap on the wrists’ handed to a company after a toxic chemical spillage.

Bosses at Johnson Matthey in Clitheroe have been rapped by the Health Safety Executive (HSE) after the incident in February left a huge cloud of gas, with hundreds of workers evacuated.

But the chemicals firm, which employs 300 in East Lancashire, will now not face a fine or prosecution.

Johnson Matthey said it had carried out an internal investigation and HSE was satisfied measures were in place to avoid a repeat incident.

The leak was caused by a valve at the site being knocked, resulting in dangerous yellow nitric acid fumes floating over the top of the industrial estate.

Firefighters were called to the scene and described the 100 sq metre cloud as ‘potentially lethal’ and capable of burning throats and lungs.

Brian Jackson, East Lancashire co-ordinator for Friends of the Earth, said: “There should certainly have been a fine and prosecution for this firm, not a slap on the wrists.

“If an incident like this can happen once, it can happen again.

“If I lived near the Johnson Matthey plant in Clitheroe, it would worry me.”

However, Liz Campbell, Johnson Matthey’s environmental health and safety manager, said measures had been taken following the spill, which also resulted in a nearby nursery being evacuated.

Isolation components have since been put on every valve in the plant and the HSE was satisfied by the firm’s internal investigation, she said.

She said: “We have reviewed operations so this cannot happen again.”

The HSE said it had written to Johnson Matthey ‘outlining the actions needed’.