Renew On Line (UK) 29a

Extracts from the Jan-Feb 2001 edition of Renew
These extracts only represent about 25% of it

9. Greenpeace Bans the Burn

Last October, Greenpeace activists invaded the Edmonton waste combustion plant in North London - the UK’s biggest rubbish incinerator plant, and one of the flagships of the energy from waste concept. 50 of them blocked the main entrance to stop rubbish trucks delivering their loads, and a team of climbers occupied key areas of the plant, including the 100 metre chimney. They were protesting against plans to expand it, and claimed that it emitted a cocktail of chemicals that can cause cancers and asthma attacks.

Greenpeace commented ‘Despite evidence that burning rubbish can cause cancer and other health problems, the Government is currently considering whether to expand Edmonton by 50%’ and ‘has already promised taxpayers money for a further four-fold increase in incinerators across the UK. Currently there are just 15 municipal waste incinerators in the UK of which Edmonton is the biggest. The Government has now awarded another 62 contracts across the country and a further 10 incinerators are in planning or under construction. London, Glasgow, Manchester and Newcastle are under threat from the expansion’. Rob Gueterbock, a Greenpeace campaigner occupying the chimney, said: ‘With incineration your rubbish comes back to haunt you. You put it out through your door and it comes back as air pollution through your window.’

Greenpeace argue that ‘there are no safe levels for the many of the toxic chemicals streaming out of Edmonton. While some emissions have been reduced by modern technology others like mercury are actually increasing. Every year the Edmonton smokestack spews out 800 tonnes of acid gases and 50 kilos of arsenic.’

It added ‘In August, new research found that between 1974 and 1987, children who lived within 5km of incinerators were twice as likely to die of cancer. Thousands of new chemical compounds are formed from the burning of rubbish and scientists have identified many as hazardous’ and provided the following reference to back them up: Knox E.G. (2000). Childhood cancers, birthplaces, incinerators and landfill sites. International Journal of Epidemiology 29:391-397. They noted that Environment Minister Michael Meacher said in a House of Lords Inquiry in April 1999: "..the emissions from incinerator processes are extremely toxic. Some of the emissions are carcinogenic. We know, scientifically, that there is no safe threshold below which we can allow such emissions. We must use every reasonable instrument to eliminate them altogether."

They also quoted Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, who has said: "My view is there should be no extension of incineration in London...I will do all I can to oppose any extension of or construction of new incineration."

Greenpeace claim that London is set to expand the number of waste incinerator plants from two to six, with NFFO contracts agreed for plants in Edmonton, Lambeth, Dagenham, Brent and Bexley. It added ‘whilst many incinerators have not yet succeeded in getting planning permission, most of the contracts remain intact.’

There are of course other views on waste incineration - for example the industry argues that emission controls are very stringent and that well operated waste combustion plants can actually reduce the net exposure of people to dioxins.

However, it’s not just dioxins that Greenpeace are pointing to - there's also the impact of acid emissions. and particulates. Based on government figures they therefore claim that, despite improvements due to the recent EU Directive on Waste incineration, the expansion of the Edmonton plant could result in an extra seven deaths per year, with nitrogen dioxide gas being the main culprit.

Greenpeace also point out that burning rubbish ‘not only threatens the environment and human health but also undermines targets for waste reduction and recycling. In Edmonton, Canada, the town recycles over 50% of its rubbish and is aiming to increase that to 70%’ Gueterbock concludes ‘We need to end this ‘burn it or bury it’ attitude to our rubbish now. Recycling is possible. If they can make it happen in Edmonton, Canada, our Government should be able to make it happen in Edmonton, U.K. There is no reason to carry on squandering millions of pounds of taxpayer's money on a nationwide network of cancer factories. Edmonton and other waste incinerators should be closed now.’

A map showing the sites of the 87 NFFO supported waste incinerators and their current stages of development is available at http://www.greenpeace.org.uk