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"A wave of new publicly-funded incinerators being built to burn rubbish could be mothballed before they are even turned on, amid claims there will not be enough waste to fuel them.
"The Department for Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra) has begun withdrawing funding for new incineration plants, with predictions there will be nothing for them to burn. Support for a scheme in Liverpool was withdrawn last month, following the removal of funding for projects in North and West Yorkshire.
"The UK already has 32 rubbish incinerators, but plans for 100 new ones are in the planning stages with local authorities around the country. The rush to build the new plants is rooted in the idea that they can be a cheaper alternative to sending rubbish to landfill, while creating renewable energy at the same time."
TATA and E-ON abandon West London waste contract
"CHAIN has been officially informed that TATA and E-ON have withdrawn from the tendering process for the West London Waste Authority (WLWA) waste contract, and did not submit a final bid before the deadline that expired on 28 February 2013. Consequently, the sole remaining bid is from SITA UK Limited. Had TATA and E-ON been successful, they intended to transport 300,000 tonnes per annum of municipal waste a distance 200 miles from London to Lostock, a residential part of Northwich, for incineration.
"In a letter from their solicitors, both companies indicate that they will seek other waste contracts to fuel the incinerator. CHAIN is currently challenging the Government decision to grant planning permission for the Northwich incinerator by way of a judicial review that is scheduled to be heard on 1 May in the High Court at Manchester.
"Brian Cartwright, CHAIN Chairman, stated:
“We must give a guarded welcome to this decision because it was always irresponsible nonsense to be seriously contemplating sending Londoners’ rubbish halfway up the country to Cheshire to be incinerated. You will not be surprised to hear that CHAIN and many of our supporters, including members of Cheshire West and Chester Council, have been in contact with the Board of the WLWA on many occasions and pointed this out to them.
We are concerned that TATA and E-ON say that they intend to seek other contracts to supply waste to feed the monster they want to build, practically in the centre of Northwich. It is to be hoped that they will pause before they do so, and review the whole basis of their project. I have in mind, for example, the recent research report by independent experts that there will be 6.9 million tonnes excess treatment capacity, which includes incineration, in the UK by 2015/16. Quite simply, there will not be near enough waste to go round.
Here in the North West, with huge new plants going up in Runcorn and near Frodsham, the situation will be even worse. There are real risks that people will be deterred from recycling and incinerator operators would have to import garbage from across Europe for burning, which would be utter insanity.
CHAIN and the people of Northwich have been fighting together against an incinerator in the town for over five years and we are determined to stay in the fight for as long as it takes. We are very hopeful that our legal challenge will succeed, although we are still seeking financial support from the public which would improve our prospects. There is also the distinct possibility that municipalities and local councils in the UK who may be seeking ways of treating their waste will see the injustice and folly of sending it to what is a highly populated residential part of a small town in Cheshire for burning. No waste, no waste incinerator.”
