Speaking ahead of a public meeting tomorrow (Tuesday 7 June 2011) on whether a massive incinerator should be built in Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales – Friends of the Earth is warning that going ahead with plans, despite local opposition, would cause unnecessary carbon emissions and make it harder for the UK to meet its targets to tackle climate change.

The green campaigning charity is concerned that huge, polluting incinerators like that proposed for Merthyr Tydfil – already a deprived area – are exactly the kind of development being promoted by current draft UK planning policy, when recycling is the cleanest and most cost effective way of dealing with waste.

The group has consistently objected to the lack of safeguards in the draft National Policy Statements (NPS) to ensure that UK climate targets are met – and is calling on the Government to incorporate recent advice given by the Climate Change Committee to keep the country on track to cut its emissions by 80 per cent by 2050.

Friends of the Earth’s planning advisor Naomi Luhde-Thompson said:

“This public meeting is the first opportunity that local people have had to object to an incinerator in person.

“So far commissioners have failed to take into account the incinerator’s impact on climate change – even though developments like this won’t help the UK to cut its emissions to meet its climate change targets.

“Instead of promoting dirty and expensive incinerators that send millions of pounds up in smoke, we need planning policies to maximise our development of clean, safe energy such as wind and solar power, and encourage councils to recycle as much of our waste as possible.”

ENDS

Notes to editors 

1. Further information see www.foe.co.uk/merthyr
2. The meeting will be held at the Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Centre, Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Village, Merthyr Tydfil, CF48 1UT. Registration will start at 10am, 7 June, with the meeting scheduled to start at 11.15am
3. Brilliant new campaign video ‘Burned’ can be seen at www.foe.co.uk/merthyr and is available for media use. Please contact Marie Reynolds on 020 7566 1649