Conservative County Council plans for an incinerator don't make economic sense
April 26, 2011 11:12 AM
Hertfordshire County Council are drawing nearer to deciding on an incinerator. Louise attended Hertfordshire Waste Partnership, a joint group of county and district councillors, on Monday 18th April. At this meeting they agreed a non-compulsory target of 60 per cent recycling and composting by 2020. This paves the way for a decision on an incinerator operator who would process the remaining 40 per cent of residual waste. This decision is to take place on 28th April at County Hall. There will be two meetings, first one of the sub-committee, followed by a cabinet meeting.
But members of Herts Without Waste (HertsWOW) and Hatfield Against Incineration (HAI) told the Partnership the recycling target was unambitious. Higher recycling rates could make an incinerator unnecessary, and even see the County paying compensation to the operator. HAI commented that the consultation had been inadequate as the public were asked whether it favoured energy from waste. Although the reply was yes, there are far more efficient ways of deriving energy from waste, and to infer from this consultation that the public favour an incinerator is wrong. There are ways of deriving the energy from waste that do not produce the pollution that an incinerator would generate.
John Webb of HertsWOW showed the meeting that there is likely to be a huge shortfall in household waste arising across the county as recycling and composting rates increase. In Welwyn Hatfield the public are becoming more aware of the climate change effects of excessive waste. That makes the proposed central treatment plant bad value for money from the start. David Ashton also of HertsWOW explained "Many authorities elsewhere are already achieving rates of diversion from waste of 70%, 75%, even 85%". HertsWoW, HAI and community groups in the county are alarmed that the procurement of a central waste treatment plant by the County Council may result in a "white elephant" at huge and unnecessary expense to the people of Hertfordshire.
Cllr Louise Lotz asked the borough council how much their recycling had increased since the introduction of the new recycling system. The administration replied that there had been a 34 per cent increase. This was based on the March statistics, available since the new recycling system has been rolled out. This will increase once flats are included more fully.
On Wednesday 28th April from 10am at County Hall, county councillors will meet as the Waste Panel followed by the Cabinet Committee. They will choose between Eon and Veolia as the final bidder to provide the waste treatment facility, or perhaps neither bidder on this occasion. Members of HAI and HertsWOW will assemble for a photo call at 9.40 at which time concerned members of the public are invited to join them. An open letter has been sent to the waste panel members asking them to reconsider or to delay this decision, as new government guidelines are coming out in May.
ENDS
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