Isle of Wight Incinerator closed for the foreseeable future

A recent e-mail message from the Environment Agency confirms that the Isle of Wight incinerator, showcased as a model “advanced thermal treatment” facility remains closed.

[Energos' ailing gasification plant] is currently not operational. The operator has made no firm proposals for a date to resume operations and neither have we agreed a date.

As reported by UKWIN back in June 2010 [see Dastardly Deeds in Derby] campaigners in Derby, whilst preparing evidence for their forthcoming planning appeal, unearthed details of dioxin emission breeches so serious that the operators were forced to cease operations.

According to the Derby Telegraph report of 27th May 2010, in an article entitled `Abnormal’ emissions at plant:

Waste processing at a plant using similar gasification technology to that planned for a site in Sinfin has been temporarily suspended because of “abnormal” emissions of dioxins. Waste Gas Technology [associated with Energos and Resource Recovery Solutions (RRS)] stopped production at its plant on the Isle of Wight to investigate the emission test results.

UKWIN understands that emissions of dioxins were more than 860% over the legal limit (as set by the EU).

In a press release published by Island Pulse Waste Gas Technology admitted that:

Routine independent emissions tests, undertaken as part of the environmental permit at the plant, reported a level of 0.8616 ng/m3, which exceeded the…permitted level.

Although the company had hoped to restart their incinerator “within a fortnight” (i.e. about six weeks ago) they have clearly failed to do so.