Still 'questions to answers' over Corby waste scandal as it features in new TV drama
'Toxic Town' on Netflix tells the story of the town's waste scandal
A solicitor who investigated the story of Corby’s toxic waste scandal, which is the subject of a new Netflix drama, says there are still questions to answer.
Starring Jodie Whittaker, Robert Carlyle and Rory Kinnear, Toxic Town is centred around the real-life battle involving families where children were left with birth defects, following contamination from the former steelworks.
Settlement was reached with them in the early 2000s.
Des Collins explains that what's being told in the televised series doesn't go into how the local authority first reacted:
"The refusal of the council's obligation to the residents on the attitudes which they took deserves a more fuller explanation.
"We would hope that the TV programme results in a more detailed inquiry into what happened, and how it happened.
"Also, there's the issue of the steps that could be taken to avoid something similar happening again.
"I think there's a lot to take away in today's world - We're at a point where there's a huge step to build more houses right around the country.
"In order to get those built, I suspect some regulation may well be relaxed. That makes it a good time to sit down and watch and take note."
Des explains that he first got involved in highlighting the story as he was lighting a coal fire with old newspapers.
He noticed an article, and made contact with the journalist behind it as investigations then got underway.
Having been brought up in Corby as a child, his relationship with the area inspired him to find out more.