incinerator pushers in Britain!

[Neil Tangri <ntangri@essential.org>]

Britain told to turn waste into power,
                not dump it

                UK: September 14, 1999

                LONDON - Britain should turn its waste into electricity
                by burning it rather than dumping it as rubbish tips fill
                up and new sites become harder to find. 

                Companies keen to harness energy from waste say the
                best solution is to incinerate it to generate electricity and
                heat.

                First, however, they have to persuade the public that
                incinerators do not pose health risks. Public opposition has
                already led planners to refuse permission for several
                schemes.

                "Incineration faces a tough fight in Britain where resistance
                to the idea still exists," Bill Seddon-Brown, chairman of the
                European Energy from Waste Coalition, told a recent
                energy-from-waste conference.

                Incineration is widely accepted in continental Europe but
                Britain burns less than 10 percent of its municipal waste.

                Britain's domestic refuse heap is growing by three percent a
                year, reflecting a throwaway society which jettisons millions
                of takeaway food cartons and tonnes of ageing electronic
                equipment.

                Tough new European Union rules on waste management
                will force Britain to cut the amount of rubbish going to tips
                and the government has said dozens of new incinerators
                will be needed.

                Environmentalists have vowed to fight any big incinerator
                building programme.

                "We believe a much better environmental option is proper
                recycling. This will take the pressure off resources like
                forestry and mining," said Mark Johnston, an energy
                compaigner at Friends of the Earth.

                The best way to cut down household waste is to give
                people separate bins to recycle glass, paper and metal, he
                said.

                EU TARGETS A BIG HEADACHE FOR BRITAIN

                The EU landfill directive requires member states to cut the
                amount of household waste ending in dumps from 85
                percent at present to no more than 35 percent by 2016.

                Landfill for industrial and commercial waste will have to be
                cut to 85 percent of 1998 levels by 2005.

                "Reaching these targets is a major, major headache for the
                UK in particular," Ross Fairley, an environmental lawyer at
                solicitors Allen & Overy, told the conference.

                In Britain landfill is still seen as the cheapest and easiest
                option despite the government's decision in 1996 to impose
                tax on rubbish sent to tips.

                The European Energy from Waste Coalition argues burning
                waste for energy and heat is a much more efficent way of
                getting rid of rubbish than re-use or recycling.

                According to the coalition, re-use and recycling schemes
                reduce waste by between 40 and 50 percent whereas the
                recovery rate rises to 80-85 percent with energy-from-waste.

                Energy-from waste represents just 1.8 percent of the EU's
                domestic energy consumption. The group says this could
                be easily boosted to five percent - an increase equivalent to
                the output of 12 nuclear power stations.

                The British government calculates between 28 and 165
                incinerators will be needed for Britain to meet the EU
                targets.

                A number of schemes are already operating. Thames Water
                has set up a joint venture with the Renewable Energy
                Company to generate power from sewage sludge. The
                electricity is sold as green power under the "Ecotricity"
                label. 

                Story by Margaret Orgill 

                REUTERS NEWS SERVICE