ON noting that the aim of Greater Manchester Area Health Authority to push through fluoridation of Bolton's water supply, I wish to draw your readers' attention to the following.

A fluoridation plant is not only very costly to set up, but is equally costly to monitor and regulate. Once in the water, the fluoride will then need to be taken out. Because of the cumulative effects of this biological poison, it cannot be put back into water courses. It is far too toxic and the long term effects on farm animals, crops, wildlife and the natural environment would be catastrophic.

Those who are keen to promote such a measure are not being fully explanative or honest to the public, who will be forced to pay dearly for it through their water rates. The cost of running a fluoridation scheme will run into millions of pounds, and could triple water rates. The public, who will have to bear the cost, will share none of the vast profits. No matter how low your income is, no one escapes having to pay the water rates.

That is, unless the BDA, FS and GMAHA are going to be generous, and pay water rates of all, who, like myself, do not want to be forced to pay for something they do not want and which is of no benefit to them personally.

Furthermore, as a keen gardener, I do not wish to water my plants and lawn with a cumulative biological poison. Are those who wish to force it on us willing to pay out for a double osmatic water filtration unit?

It is time this issue of water fluoridation was consigned to the medical history text books. The fact is that now there are far better methods of treating and preventing dental disease. The idea of water fluoridation is over 38 years old. Surely it is time to move on, when it has been proven to be sloppily inefficient.

Of course, those who stubbornly stick to attempting to push it will tell us that there have been no harmful long term effects upon general health. The truth is that no long term studies have ever been carried out. The facts are that they never will be.

Many people living in Birmingham want it removing from their water. They were given no choice in the matter, because it was put in without consultation, via the "back door". In other words, they are being cynically used as human guinea pigs.

The whole history of peddling this cumulative poison is riddled with lies and deceit. The concealing of scientific findings and the withdrawing of funding from any scientist who published the results of research proving its toxicity proves that there is plenty to hide. I can only refer your readers to get at the truth via the Internet, or from NPWA, thus avoiding the lies of those who seek to deceive.

As for the dental dinosaurs who are still trying to convince us that it is efficacious. I say get up to date with the latest in dental research and give the rest of us a break.

Ms Alex Hastings

Craven Place, Montserrat

Bolton

EARLY LEARNER: Brushing to prevent tooth decay is much better than taking fluoride