Merthyr defeats massive rubbish incinerator

25 October 2011

Friends of the Earth Cymru campaigned for nearly two years with Merthyr Friends of the Earth, thousands of local residents and dozens of community groups against the dumping of 750,000 tonnes of rubbish a year on one of the country's most deprived communities

Now the news that Covanta, the giant American company behind the proposal, has withdrawn the plan has delighted residents and campaigners.

A United Valleys Action Group spokesperson said, "This is great news for the local communities and for Wales,  and we welcome it as a victory for people power and common sense.

"We would like to extend special thanks to Friends of the Earth who have supported us tirelessly and unconditionally."

The incinerator was one of the first proposals put before the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC), which made it much harder for local people to be heard and involved in the process.

Merthyr's success is a major blow to proposals for other incinerators across Wales, and will be a big boost for campaigns opposing plants in Cardiff, Newport, Anglesey and Deeside.

EXTINGUISHED: the story of Merthyr's successful campaign against the proposed incinerator.

BURNED: the story of the early stages of Merthyr's campaign against the proposed incinerator.

Swyddi gwyrdd

Dengys ymchwil gan Cyfeilion y Ddaear pa mor bwysig y gall rheoli gwastraff yn synhwyrol fod i swyddi a llwyddiant economaidd. Daw'r adroddiad 'Green Jobs in the Heads of the Valleys' i'r casgliad y gellid creu tua 3,000 o swyddi newydd yn yr ardal drwy welliannau mewn ailgylchu a rheoli gwastraff, effeithlonrwydd ynni cartref a datblygiad ynni adnewyddadwy ar raddfa fechan.

Nid yw llosgi yn wyrdd

Nid yw llosgi yn opsiwn gwyrdd ar gyfer trin gwastraff, nac yn ddull effeithlon o gynhyrchu ynni. Golyga maint enfawr y cynnig ar gyfer Merthyr ei fod yn drychineb rheoli gwastraff.

Byddai'r llosgydd yn:

• Llosgi mwy na'r holl wastraff gweiddilliol y rhagwelir ar gyfer Cymru
• Peidio ag annog lleihau ac ailgylchu gwastraff
• Llosgi adnoddau gwerthfawr y byddai'n well iddynt gael eu hailgylchu
• Ddiwydiant brwnt arall mewn ardal o iechyd gwael ac amddifadedd
• Newyddion drwg ar gyfer swyddi - mae ailgylchu yn creu 10 gwaith yn rhagor na llosgi
• Gofyn bod gwastraff yn cael ei gludo dros y wlad i gyd
• Ddibynnol ar adeiledd rheilffordd sydd ddim yn bodoli ar hyn o bryd
• Cynhyrchu lludw gwenwynig, llygredd aer a charbon deuocsid sy'n newid hinsawdd