The Green Party has thrown its weight behind a campaign to show water companies the yellow card over adding fluoride to Leicestershire's water supplies.

The national campaign, being run by the National Pure Water Association, is asking people to send postcards to water companies, informing them of their opposition to fluoridation. They also say that, if fluoride is added to water supplies, they will deduct the cost of removing it, through filtering, or by using bottled water, from their water bills.

Bob Ball, a spokesman for the party in Leicester, said: "A recent poll in Leicester by the Leicester Mercury showed 93 per cent in opposition to fluoride. Other polls elsewhere have shown similar levels of opposition to the Government's favoured mass-medication measure.

"This is not a medicinal product, it is toxic waste and the taxpayer will be paying for the privilege of importing it and contaminating their own water supply. Adding fluoride to water is affecting people's rights.''

Thousands of yellow postcards have been produced which people can sign and send to their water company, threatening not to pay bills if fluoridation goes ahead.

Leicestershire's health bosses have announced they will wait for Government guidance before making the decision about whether to go ahead.

Under the new Water Bill, which came into force in November, health authorities with high tooth decay can demand water companies put the chemical into tap water.

While fluoride supporters believe the chemical helps cut tooth decay, anti-fluoride groups claim it can cause a range of problems, including cancer, and have threatened to mount a legal challenge on human rights grounds.

Severn Trent, which supplies most of Leicestershire's water, confirmed it had already received a number of the cards.

More information is available from the National Pure Water Association website at:
www.npwa.freeserve.co.uk

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