National Waste Strategy & Incineration

  The Government proposes to increase the use of incinerators to burn up to 27% of the UK’s waste.  So far this has been presented as a marvellous way to eliminate the need for landfill, with virtually no recognition of the toxic residues produced and need for their disposal in a specialist landfill – such as here in Bishop’s Cleeve.  Incineration is now being presented as a method of recycling, since burning waste can produce electricity!  This ludicrous argument is undermined by the basic fact that waste that is truly non-recyclable has very little calorific value, so would not be suitable for “Energy From Waste” – or in layman’s terms, incineration!  We know that some counties have been forced to send their kerbside recyclables to incinerators in order to meet the demand for sufficient waste just to keep the incinerators going!

SWARD has joined the national campaign against incineration and sent two representatives to the first meeting of all of the groups battling against incinerators in their communities.  There was widespread concern at the ineffectiveness of the Environment Agency.  We are sending objections to all counties proposing incinerators from which toxic ash would be sent for landfill to Bishop’s Cleeve.  One of our members is taking a leading role in the creation of a toolkit to help residents campaigning against planning applications for new incinerators.