The presentation was delivered on 14th July 2010 to the Associate Parliamentary Sustainable Resource Group (APSRG) at their ‘Priorities for Parliament: Sustainable Resources for a Sustainable Society’ event.

Dr Warhurst called on the new Government to scrap PFI investment because it leads to “expensive, inflexible incineration”, which he described as a “dying” technology.

We’re wasting money on the wrong infrastructure. We have a situation at the moment where many councils are wasting billions building expensive, inflexible and climate-damaging incineration. It’s a technology that’s dying, but is taking rather a long time to die.

According to the MRW article, Warhurst called for a more cost-effective method of waste infrastructure finance, which would not lead to the construction of incineration plants.

Speaking on behalf of Friends of the Earth, he said:

In our view, PFIs should be abandoned because they’re a very expensive way of building things. And the contracts should be much shorter, say, 5-10 years, because the right infrastructure can be built with short contracts, such as anaerobic digestion plants, residual waste, composting and separation

The MRW article goes on to describe how these comments were echoed by Local Government Association programme director for environment and planning Martin Wheatley, who called for a “radical look at new forms of relationship between councils and the private sector”.

Download Dr Warhurst’s APSRG presentation [PDF]

Some protesters wore gas masks to highlight concerns about the dangerous emissions that an incinerator could produce.

The cabinet meeting was considering a report from the County Council’s Scrutiny Commission regarding how the procurement process has been carried out so far. They were also considering plans being put forward by the three companies bidding for the contract. One of these bidders, Biffa, have already announced plans for an incinerator near Shepshed, to burn 300,000 tons of rubbish annually, but the proposals being put forward by the other two have not yet been made public and, although some protesters were allowed to attend the first part of the cabinet meeting considering the scrutiny report, they were excluded from the discussion on the bids, on grounds of “commercial sensitivity”.

Malcolm Hunter, a spokesperson for Leicester Friends of the Earth, said:

We agree with the County Council that we need to stop sending waste to landfill, but incineration is old fashioned, dirty and wasteful. Newer and more environmentally friendly technologies now exist, which can separate unsorted waste, to recover lots of valuable materials and then digest the organic material such as paper and food waste, to produce methane gas, for use as a fuel and fertilizer as a by-product. As well as being less wasteful, this process does not produce dangerous emissions and is more flexible. This greater flexibility would allow several smaller plants to be built, spreading traffic loads.

And the anti-incineration action has attracted much coverage in the local and regional press, including:
Mass opposition to an incinerator and Anti-waste incinerator group staging protest and Gas-mask protesters set to fight incinerator plans.

As part of a new 2010 challenge volunteers across Scotland are pledging to ‘slim their bins’ and reduce their home waste by at least 25%.

The ‘Home Waste Challenge 2010′, part of Friends of the Earth Scotland’s (FoES) national waste prevention campaign, has already attracted over 30 households to participate. Each one is monitoring their rubbish bin over a week and taking easy steps to help them use less of the world’s resources.

Rosiaina Browning, FoES’ Waste Prevention Co-ordinator, said:

Lent is the ideal time for people to start the Home Waste Challenge. Giving up waste is an original idea to try and is something fun and creative the whole family can take part in. Just by simply reducing food waste the average household can save up to £430 per year whilst helping protect our environment against climate change.

Friends of the Earth Office staff are also practising what they preach and have all started the “Home Waste Challenge” in their own households by taking simple actions such as stopping junk mail and using a compost bin.

The Home Waste Challenge will continue throughout 2010 with more and more Scottish households signing up to participate. People are invited to take part at www.reducewaste.org.uk.

CREW (Communities Reducing Excess Waste) is Friends of the Earth Scotland’s waste prevention project which aims to reduce waste at source. It is available for small businesses, households and communities across Scotland.

This UKWIN Update attempts to bring together just some of what has been happening since our previous update. Inevitably I will miss some important items, so please feel invited to add more information of interest by leaving a comment on the UKWIN website (below).

Global Day of Action
UKWIN is joining forces with campaigners around the globe who are organising a Global day of Action Against Incineration. For more details please contact Neil.

Cheshire
The government has approved plans to build a 95MW incinerator in Cheshire which is set to burn 600,000 tonnes of refuse-derived fuel a year. The decision is obviously a disappointment for all those who campaigned hard to prevent this permission from being granted. Due to the current economic climate, and to the lack of local authority contracts, the facility, although approved, may never be built. Watch this (sad) space…
Links:
http://www.letsrecycle.com/do/ecco.py/view_item?listid=37&listcatid=217&listitemid=53154
and
http://www.runcornandwidnesweeklynews.co.uk/runcorn-widnes-news/runcorn-widnes-local-news/2009/08/20/mike-hall-mp-slams-ince-marshes-incinerator-plan-go-ahead-because-of-existing-ineoschlor-runcorn-plans-55368-24490218/
and
http://www.crewechronicle.co.uk/crewe-news/local-crewe-news/2009/08/19/middlewich-incinerator-protestors-demand-council-bosses-reject-plans-96135-24472513/

Veolia High Court
Veolia have taken legal action against their waste partner Nottinghamshire County Council. The case, involving the right of the public to see how public money is being spent on delivering public services, is being heard on Tuesday 25th August 2009 at the High Court.

WASTE COMPANY IN COURT BATTLE TO KEEP WASTE CONTRACT SECRET FROM RESIDENTS

A French-owned waste company is going to the High Court to try and prevent Nottinghamshire County Council making public details of its £850 million waste management contract and the invoices paid by the Council.

The full hearing of the Judicial Review is taking place after an interim injunction was obtained by Veolia Environmental after council officials agreed to release the information following a request by local resident Shlomo Dowen, of People Against Incineration [PAIN].

Mr Dowen is represented by lawyers from Friends of the Earth’s Rights & Justice Centre.

Information in the contract and the invoices will show how much money Veolia Environmental is charging the local council for each method of treatment (landfill, incineration, recycling, composting, etc.) and will help show whether or not the local authority is getting value for money.

Shlomo Dowen said:

Nottinghamshire residents have a right to seeing how tens of millions of pounds of our money is being spent, and our waste is being dealt with. This information must be made public. Veolia Environmental must not be allowed to keep this information secret.

Friends of the Earth’s executive director Andy Atkins said:

The law gives the public explicit rights to see this type of information precisely so that they can hold authorities to account on major issues such as this. Companies like Veolia that wish to take enormous amounts of public money must recognise that members of the public have an interest in ensuring that the money is well spent.

Mr Dowen has already accessed some information from the Council and has asked the District Auditor to investigate amount of money it is charging Nottinghamshire’s County Council in respect of landfill tax.

Veolia is also embroiled in another controversy with Nottinghamshire County Council over its plans to build an incinerator on a former Colliery site in Sherwood Forest. The company claims that local waste levels are expected to rise significantly in the coming years– a fact hotly disputed by PAIN, who point to evidence that Nottinghamshire’s waste levels have actually fallen.

Hearings for the Public Inquiry into the proposed Sherwood Forest Incinerator will begin on 6th October 2009 in Rainworth, near Mansfield. These hearings are expected to last for three weeks. PAIN is joined at the Inquiry by Newark and Sherwood District Council and Notts Wildlife Trust who also oppose Veolia’s incinerator plans.

Shocked in Shepshed
Residents of Shepshed in Northwest Leicestershire we shocked to learn of possible plans for an incinerator in their village. The plans for an incinerator near Shepshed have been put forward by Biffa. Biffa are one of three companies short-listed by the County Council to build a new facility to process the County’s waste. Leicester Friends of the Earth have backed local residents in their opposition to plans to build a giant waste incinerator near Shepshed. You can read more about this at:
http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/Fury-grows-incinerator-plan/article-1276006-detail/article.html
and
http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/Massive-waste-burner-planned-Leicestershire/article-1273645-detail/article.html
and
http://www.letsrecycle.com/do/ecco.py/view_item?listid=37&listcatid=217&listitemid=53228

Emerging Global Anti-Covanta coalition
Campaigners from North America are joining with others faced with the prospect of a Covanta-run incinerator in locations around the world to share information and campaign tips. UKWIN is supporting this effort. If you would like to join this coalition, please contact paul@fluoridealert.org

Invergordon
“Controversial plans for a £43m waste incinerator in Invergordon have been rejected by Highland Council.” “Planners snubbed over Invergordon project…Company considers appeal…Highland town celebrates as waste plan thrown out…” “Highland Council chief executive Alistair Dodds is considering a plea from SNP opposition group leader John Finnie to launch an inquiry into his senior planners’ handling of the application.”
See
http://www.north-star-news.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/4964/Incinerator_plan_is_extinguished.html
and
http://www.highlandlibdems.org.uk/news/000155/thurso_welcomes_decision_to_throw_out_plan_for_incinerator_in_invergordon.html
and
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/8204937.stm

Perth
“Residents against the building of a waste incinerator in Perth believe the local council acted unlawfully when granting outline planning permission…Outline planning consent for the development was granted in 2006, but full details only emerged this year. The Grundon Waste Management plans for the £100m incinerator, which include a 260ft chimney, have attracted hundreds of objections. Bridgend, Gannochy and Kinnoull Community Council hired planning lawyers to look into the matter.” “The community council turned to Roy Martin QC and advocate Stephen O’Rourke in their David versus Goliath battle to prevent English-based Grundon Waste Management creating a towering £100 million recycling plant on the Shore Road.”
See:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/tayside_and_central/8213662.stm
and
http://www.perthshireadvertiser.co.uk/perthshire-news/local-news-perthshire/perth-city/2009/08/21/community-council-reveal-incinerator-legal-hurdle-73103-24492774/

RAID – Residents Against Inappropriate Developments
In their August 2009 e-newsletter the newly formed RAID are announcing their plans for further public meetings to inform more people about the proposed developments associated with the Hatfield Power Park (Doncaster) and especially one known as the DEW Project. If you have not yet seen the presentation or know someone who has not seen it please come along on one of the dates below:
Thorne – 3rd September at the Assembly Rooms
Dunscroft – 9th September at St Lawrence Community Centre
Dunsville – 18th September at the Community Centre
Hatfield Woodhouse – 25th September in the Village Hall
Stainforth – 2nd October at the Resource Centre (Old Folks Centre)
All the meetings will start at 7.30pm.

Also, the Barnsley Doncaster and Rotherham (Dearne Valley) Joint Strategic Waste consultation is coming to Dunsville Community Centre. On Friday 4th September there will be a public consultation meeting at Dunsville Community Centre to discuss the suitability of Hatfield Power Park as a waste management site as part of the DPD process. There will be a display from 2pm until 5pm and then a presentation from 6pm until 8pm with questions and answers.

Please encourage anyone you know to visit the RAID website and sign the online petition.

Newcastle
An ongoing political row is rumbling on over the issue of the incineration of waste in Newcastle.
See:
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/north-east-news/the-environment/go-green-news/2009/06/20/controversial-debate-over-newcastle-incinerator-72703-23932252/

Crymlyn Burrows
There is news on the infamous Crymlyn Burrows Incinerator on the outskirts of Swansea. Neath Port Talbot Council has accepted a payout of £6.7 Million in a court case against the firm of consultants that advised them to go ahead with the plant. The local residents are also taking a class action suit against the incinerator for the odour problems it is causing. For those unfamiliar with the background story see the Swansea FoE website.

Jersey
“A damning new report on the euro rate incinerator fiasco has raised serious concerns about the management of the Treasury.”
See
http://www.thisisjersey.com/2009/08/10/incinerator-report-serious-concerns-over-treasury/

Kingston
KINGSTON AGAINST INCINERATION NETWORK
Networked to UK WIN – Networking Communities fighting Incineration
The last Kingston Council “consultation” workshop on Waste and last year’s Energy seminar did not reflect adequately input from local residents and there were various individual protests at the waste workshop. It is therefore very important that there is grassroots understanding and consensus on this before the waste consultation workshop on the 16th September to ensure that what we want is not manipulated into what we don’t want…For more info contact PennyKFOE@aol.com

A letter from the Co-ordinator of Colchester and NE Essex Friends of the Earth, Paula Whitney to her local Gazette Letters page:

Dear Editor,

Cllr Tim Young (6 Aug) has robustly defended Colchester council’s formal opposition to the Essex Waste Strategy last May when the coalition took control. Last autumn Colchester’s Cabinet formally opposed the county’s second bid for PFI funding since 2005. Well done!

Cllr Tina Dopson informed Defra that Colchester did not support the
bid. Our LibDem MP Bob Russell, many opposition councillors and campaigners told Defra and the Minister this, and that many thousands of Essex people have opposed MBT and incineration since 1999.

Since May 2006 waste PFI rules require bids to show that all relevant councils and the public ‘have been consulted and that there is broad
consensus’. Hence the 2008 trick public consultation, widely
condemned as misleading.

Colchester rather put a spoke in the last PFI bid by pulling out. If we can scupper the bid we will save Essex council taxpayers huge costs and recycle and compost more instead.

Now the surprise news has just hit the headlines (3 Aug) of a third
desperate attempt by ECC for costly PFI finance from Government. This one deftly includes Colchester as one of the councils supporting the bid as a member of the previous Essex waste ‘Partnership’. Pardon?

The ‘MBT’ plant for 351,000 tonnes a year at Basildon would shred and
compost ‘black bag’ waste in massive warehouses, reducing its weight
by a fifth. ECC officers said it may be landfilled or turned into polluting fuel pellets to burn in an incinerator on one of the sites.

Let’s hope Colchester council, our MP and some of us can move fast to
inform Defra and the Minister that neither they nor the Essex people
support the PFI bid. These 27.5 year contracts will cost the taxpayers huge sums to destroy our valuable resources.

And finally…
Music to our ears
Yet another anti-incinerator song has been composed. “It Was Madness” will be released on the 14th September. On this note UKWIN has been asked if there is anyone who would be able to help promote the single…

A 1-minute preview of the song can be heard at http://web2.nessmp3.com/bands/1327. There is a possibility it could be a National hit and with it massive exposure for the cause. The artist who wrote and performed the song is keen to do appearances, etc, however he won’t be able to work the ‘machine’ on his own. Are there any offers of help?

The submission criticised the Welsh Assembly Government’s waste strategy for “not going far enough to meet the challenges of climate change and diminishing resources”.

FoE Cymru described the draft strategy as a “step in the right direction” while calling for more ambitious recycling targets, a far greater emphasis on reducing waste, and an abandonment of incineration as an option for dealing with waste.

Keeping incineration on the table seriously risks undermining targets for recycling and waste reduction.

Gordon James, director of Friends of the Earth Cymru, said:

While the Assembly Government’s target of achieving 70% recycling by 2025 is a step in the right direction, we have to be more ambitious. Parts of Europe, such as Flanders and Germany, are already achieving this rate, so we believe we should be aiming for 70% recycling by 2015 and 80% by 2020.

We also want to see a much greater emphasis on waste reduction. Wales could become a zero waste nation, in which residual waste has been eliminated by 2030 rather than the proposed target of 2050. This is far too long to wait given the current environmental problems we face. Bold and urgent action is necessary now.

The Assembly Government’s own consultants have stated that it is fundamental that recycling becomes an option for waste management only after reduction and reuse. Without significant waste reduction, even 70% recycling by 2025 would fail to meet the Assembly Government’s own target to reduce Wales’ ‘ecological footprint’ to a fair 1.88 global hectares per person.

Jake Griffiths, leader of the Wales Green Party, urged the Welsh Assembly Government to support not just recycling but reusable packaging. According to Griffiths, a return to the widespread use of bottles would mean more people would drink locally produced milk.

Milk contained in plastic cartons, he argued, was more likely to have been transported over a long distance, and the plastic might be sent as far away as China to be recycled. He did not believe that more use of incineration would help encourage recycling and called for bolder targets.

Friends of the Earth Cymru called attention to controversial proposals to build incinerators in Cardiff, Barry and Merthyr Tydfil to justify their concerns about the inclusion of incineration in the draft strategy. Their Director said:

Incineration should not be part of any waste strategy. It is not a green technology as it produces toxic ash, emits excessive amounts of carbon dioxide, and its use would weaken incentives to reduce waste and boost recycling.

The case for incineration is based on the unrealistic assumption that all residual waste could be incinerated and that all the ash is reusable.

In practice, less than 50% of the ash could be used and a significant amount of this would be hazardous waste. There are no suitable landfill sites for these residues in Wales, so they would need to be exported elsewhere.

While it is encouraging that the Assembly Government is addressing how we need to deal with our waste, there is still a lot of work to do if we are going to transform Wales into a truly zero waste society.

UKWIN also made submissions to the WAG Waste Strategy consultation. Download the main UKWIN submission and the young persons submission.

The Institute for Zero Waste in Africa has also contributed to the consultation! Download the Institute for Zero Waste in Africa submission.