Archived press release

Sparks fly over green energy con: FOE slams minister over rubbish burning

13 July 1999

The “Future Energy” accreditation scheme is to be run by the Energy Saving Trust and will be launched by Mr Battle in London this morning (at the Imagination Gallery, London WC1 at 10.30am). It will allow power companies to claim that their “green energy” products are from genuine renewable sources. But Friends of the Earth has condemned the scheme for”blowing smoke in the public's face”. Burning rubbish is a waste of materials such as glass,plastic and paper which can be easily recycled. Incinerators also contribute to global environmental problems such as climate change and deforestation.

FOE has also warned that the Government has watered down its plan to produce 10% of our electricity from real renewable sources by allowing as much as one third of this figure to be generated by incinerator projects.

Commenting, FOE Energy Campaigner, Mark Johnston said:
“This scheme is a con trick. Labour fought the election promising radical targets for renewable electricity. But it has tried to blow smoke in the public's face by pretending that incinerators are a genuine renewable source. The Government should join Friends of the Earth in promoting the genuine green energy sources that are urgently needed to combat climate change, rather than conning the public with dubious green claims.”

Friends of the Earth Waste Campaigner, Mike Childs added:
“Incinerators are a gross waste of resources that could easily be recycled. They also release almost as much carbon dioxide as gas-fired power stations. Frankly, the Government's new “green energy” scheme is rubbish and Friends of the Earth will be working to promote a better alternative.”

NOTES
[1] According to recent research by John Battle's own department, the incineration of municipal waste generates nearly as much carbon dioxide as from conventional gas-fired power stations but over forty times more carbon dioxide than wind power (assessed over the entire lifetime of the respective plants).

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust