This week, I chaired a round-table discussion hosted by the UK Without Incinerators Network (UKWIN). UKWIN is a not-for-profit network of anti-incinerator campaigners. Headed by Shlomo Dowen, they have been helpful in providing data on waste-to-energy incineration which I have used in countering plans to build a 243,000-ton plant in South West Wiltshire.

The event was apolitical in nature, attracting dozens of MPs, peers, councillors and researchers. In all, there were almost a hundred participants – including a solid contingent from my South West Wiltshire constituency.

It was a great opportunity for anti-incineration campaigners to exchange ideas and tactics. UKWIN posited several policy ideas, including a moratorium on new incinerators, which resonated with me.

I have been opposing the proposal of an incinerator at Westbury as we did emissions from the old cement works near the town several years ago, successfully. Northacre Renewable Energy (NRE) – the incinerator firm involved – have been moving the goalposts for years on this project, initially proposing a smaller, more high-tech industrial complex, to this present proposal which is both larger and more primitive.

In my mind, although incinerators ostensibly provide renewable energy, this is in fact a red herring. The consequence of building an incinerator locally means less of an incentive to reduce, reuse, and recycle – these are the far preferable in the waste hierarchy sitting high above incineration and landfill.
What’s more, we already have 350,000 tonnes of waste per annum (tpa) processed near Bristol, 100,000 tpa in Somerset, 190,000 tpa in Gloucester, and a new facility in Swindon.

All of this despite south west councils stating that at least half of residual household waste – which currently goes to incineration or landfill – could be moved up the waste hierarchy.

We still have a lot to do in terms of our emissions reductions in Wiltshire, the south west and nationally. Wiltshire Council declared a climate emergency in 2019; Westbury has an Air Quality Management Area; the UK is en route to a carbon neutral future and is hosting COP26 next year.

More incinerators contradict these policies and ambitions.

Do you agree with our local MPs? Write in to letters@blackmorevale.net

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