Archived press release

Waste Management Strategy - incineration should be ruled out

30 March 2006

Incineration of waste should be ruled out of the new Waste Management Plan, unveiled today at Stormont, according to green group Friends of the Earth. The Strategy, 'Towards Resource Management', leaves the door open to 'energy recovery' - a vague term typically applied to mass-burn incineration. Announcing the publication of the new Strategy Lord Rooker, the Environment Minister stated, "energy from waste will be a necessary component", and went on to say incineration was important because of the "urgent need to develop energy from renewable sources" [1].

Commenting, Declan Allison, Friends of the Earth's Waste Campaigner said the Strategy was a lost opportunity to rule out incineration once and for all.

"It is very disappointing that the Minister and his DOE officials have been entranced by the illusion that incineration can solve our waste problems. Incineration will just undermine attempts at reducing and recycling waste, and leave us, and future generations, with the legacy of toxic ash and depleted resources. The only sustainable option is to massively reduce the amount of waste produced in the first place, and recycle, repair and reuse what's left."

Mr Allison continued:

"It is also disappointing, and worrying, that the Minister thinks incineration is a source of renewable energy. That's like saying oil is renewable because we can just drill more of it. Not only could incineration undermine recycling, it could also undermine the development of true renewables like wind, wave and solar power."

Summing up, Declan Allison said the Strategy was a bit like the proverbial Curate's egg.

"The Strategy accepts the need to tackle consumption and the production of waste, but action on this crucial element has been deferred until the next review in 2010. Targets have finally been included for recycling commercial waste, but targets for household waste remain woefully unambitious. And the independent advisory board which scrutinised the implementation of the strategy has been replaced by a new, unaccountable Strategic Waste Board chaired by the Minister. It seems the Department is fed up with the repeated criticism of its performance, and has decided to silence its critics [2]."

Notes

[1] (back) See the Minister's statement at here

[2] There have been four reports critical of the DOE's performance on implementing the Waste Management Strategy. The first came from the Waste Management Advisory Board in May 2004; this was followed by the House of Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Committee report in February 2005; the third report came from the Northern Ireland Audit Office in June 2005; and finally the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee published its own report earlier this month.

Go here for further information on Friends of the Earth's position on incineration.

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Friends of the Earth Northern Ireland
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Tel: 028 9023 3488
Fax: 028 9024 7556
Email: foe-ni@foe.co.uk.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust