Archived press release

New map shows over 100 communities threatened by rubbish-burners

22 July 2008

Campaigners today launched a new map (www.ukwin.org.uk/map) of planned rubbish-burning sites across the UK revealing that more than 100 communities are threatened by the prospect of a polluting incinerator in their back yard - and Ministers have pledged more than £2 billion for these initiatives despite cutting recycling budgets by 30 per cent.

The map, published by a network of anti-incineration campaigners, shows the whereabouts of planned incinerators that would each cost many millions of pounds, burn thousands of tonnes of valuable resources and emit huge quantities of greenhouse gases.

Councils claim they need to build incinerators in order to meet UK and EU targets to keep waste out of landfill, but campaigners believe there are greener and cheaper ways of meeting waste targets.

Michael Warhurst, Senior Resource Use Campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said:

"It's insane for the Government and local councils to waste taxpayers' money on expensive pollution-belching rubbish burners.

"Incineration is a problem for climate change, not a solution, and will send valuable recyclable resources up in smoke.

"The Government should abandon this wasteful and old-fashioned technology by stopping all incinerator funding and investing in real green alternatives."

Shlomo Dowen, Co-ordinator of the UK Without Incineration Network (UK WIN), said:

"UK WIN helps anti-incineration campaigners across the country to keep their communities incinerator-free.

"People who are concerned about incineration should check the map to see if anything is proposed in their neighbourhood, then follow the links provided to link up with other local campaigners."

Notes

1. The Government has offered councils £2 billion in Private Finance Initiative credits to pay part of the costs of new waste management facilities, and many councils are planning to use this money to build new incinerators. Incinerators producing electricity from waste emit 33% more fossil fuel derived CO2 than a gas fired power station. At the same time, the Government has cut the funds available for promotion of recycling by 30 per cent. 'WRAP ordered to cut spending by 30%', Lets Recycle, 21st Feb. 2008
http://www.letsrecycle.com/do/ecco.py/view_item? ¬
listid=37&listcatid=217&listitemid=9714

2. UK WIN research indicates that in addition to the 23 existing incinerators, 150 locations are currently under examination, in order to build around 80 new facilities. For details of how the UKWIN map was constructed see www.ukwin.org.uk/map/#Disclaimer

3. For more information on the climate impacts of incineration see 'Dirty Truths', Friends of the Earth briefing, May 2007. View online at www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefings/dirty_truths.pdf

4. Friends of the Earth's general briefing on incineration, Up in Smoke: www.foe.co.uk/resource/media_briefing/up_in_smoke.pdf

5. A more detailed analysis of the climate change implications of incineration is available in this report for the Greater London Assembly:
"Greenhouse gas balances of waste management scenarios", Eunomia Consulting, 2008.
www.london.gov.uk/mayor/environment/waste/climate-change/greenhousegas.jsp

6. The UK Without Incineration Network (UKWIN) is the umbrella organisation for anti-incineration campaign groups throughout the UK, boasting a growing membership of more than 50.

7. UKWIN National Coordinator Shlomo Dowen can be contacted by telephone on (01623) 640134 or by e-mail message to coordinator@ukwin.org.uk

8. UKWIN opposes the incineration of household waste for many reasons - see www.ukwin.org.uk/story for a summary.

9. A brief case study of a recent successful anti-incineration campaign in Nottinghamshire is available from www.ukwin.org.uk/notts

10. For information on how to meet Government waste targets without incineration see 'Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme', Friends of the Earth briefing, September 2007,
www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefings/lats.pdf

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust