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20 Jun 2001

Friends of the Earth today slammed a pro-incineration, industry funded, report published today by the National Society for Clean Air and Environmental Protection as “ poorly written, un-referenced, and grossly misleading.”

The report fails to address the need for the UK to cut resource use through waste minimisation, reuse and recycling. Friends of the Earth wants cuts in resource use of 80-90 per cent by 2050 [1].

The House of Commons Environment Committee have said we need a “revolution in resource use” and that we may need to reduce resource use to 10 per cent of current levels [2].

Even the Government's weak Sustainable Development Strategy said that “continued improvements in resource efficiency are essential for the UK's future prosperity and competitiveness” [3].

The report, which was funded by incinerator companies and pro-incinerator local authorities, makes other false claims:

• CLAIM: “National recycling and composting rates in Europe vary from 13 per cent in Italy (1997 figure) to 39 per cent in the Netherlands (1998 figure).”
  FACT: Switzerland recycled and composted 52% in 1998, Austria and Germany 48% in 1996, the Netherlands 46% in 1998, and Norway 38% in 1999 [4]
• CLAIM: “...the regulation of waste incineration is more comprehensive and the limits tighter than those for most other industrial processes.”
  FACT: Ten incineration plants exceeded pollution limits a total of 553 times in 1999 and 2000 [5].
• CLAIM: “ Much of the information (from the media, politicians and NGOs) is emotive rather than informative.”
  FACT: Friends of the Earth has produced a 150 page Incineration Campaign Guide with over 150 scientific references [6]. The House of Commons Environment Committee has produced two authoritative reports on Sustainable Waste Management [7].

Mike Childs, Campaigns Director at Friends of the Earth, said:

 “ It is a sad day when an environment group produces such a badly researched and misleading report. The truth is we need to drastically improve recycling in this country to reduce resource use, cut greenhouse gases and provide much needed jobs. This industry funded report ignores these issues altogether. Communities across the country are campaigning against monster incinerator proposals and will continue to do so until we match the levels of recycling found in other countries. The UK has one of the worst recycling records in Europe. The best thing to do with this report is to throw it on the compost heap.”

The report also suggests; that the more information is provided to the public the greater the acceptance of incineration in principle, whereas Friends of the Earth is aware that the incinerator industry produces misleading information rather than accurate information [9];that the UK has a high standard of landfill management, despite numerous official reports bemoaning the poor quality of landfill in this country [9]; gives a misleading account of Environment Agency regional waste studies [10]; suggests that the public and council leaders are ignorant about waste, whilst waste disposal people are well informed; and gives a grossly misleading account of Friends of the Earth's position on resource use and waste management [11].

NOTES TO EDITORS

[1] Friends of the Earth (1998), Tomorrow's World, Britain's Share in a Sustainable Future.

[2] Paragraph 3, House of Commons, Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Committee, Sustainable Waste Management (session 1997-98).

[3] DETR, (1999) A better quality of life, A strategy for sustainable development for the UK.

[4] Sources: Swiss Environment Agency, Statistics Norway, Resource Recovery Forum, Warmer Bulletin.

[5] Data published by the Environment Agency.

[6] Friends of the Earth, The Incineration Campaign Guide, December 1997. Friends of the Earth has also produced 'How to win: Campaign against incinerators', price £3.99, available from 020 7490 0237.

[7] House of Commons, Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Committee, Sustainable Waste Management (session 1997-98) and Delivering Sustainable Waste Management (session 2000-01).

[8] For example their website states that “EfW power stations [incinerators] are sensitively sized to allow scope for recycling to develop.”, whereas evidence from, for example, Cleveland shows that the local authority contractually had to continue to provide substantial amounts of waste or face a financial penalty. The Recycling Officer stated that this prevents the Council expanding recycling services.

[9] For example, Environment Agency (1996) Groundwater pollution - evaluation of the extent and character of groundwater pollution from point sources in England and Wales. This found that one third of groundwater pollution was due to leaking landfills. Also, Environment Agency (1996) The Environment in England and Wales - a snapshot. This stated that landfill sites wee responsible for 45 per cent of methane releases in the UK. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas.

[10] The NSCA report suggests that the Environment Agency has projected how many new incinerators will be needed in England, but FOE has been explicitly told in a letter from Chairman Sir John Harman that the'scenarios' in the SWMAs do not seek to provide 'specific guidance' on waste management strategies and that they are NOT suggesting that the recycling scenario represents maximum limits.

[11] Friends of the Earth's policy is that there are good environmental, economic and social reasons to maximise waste reduction, reuse and recycling. At present up to 80 per cent of the household waste stream may be recyclable. Best practice recycling in other countries suggests that recycling rates of 60-80 per cent can be achieved. Until policies, instruments and timetables are in place to achieve these recycling rates,Friends of the Earth will continue to advocate a moratorium on new incineration and landfill capacity. Friends of the Earth will also continue to campaign for a reduction in overall waste arisings and a phase out of toxic materials within the waste stream.

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