Norfolk County Council are proposing a waste incinerator to be sited at the Willows Business Park, Saddlebow Road. At a crowded public meeting at the London Road Methodist Church, the project manager Joel Hull set out the case for an incinerator. The main points of the proposal are:
- 170,000 tons of waste per year will be burnt
- NCC have selected a shortlist of 2 commercial operators
- The site will be operated on a 25 year contract
- Construction will be funded by a Private Finance Initiative
Mr Hull stated that there would be no visible plume from the chimney, the additional
atmospheric particulates would be trivial, the atmospheric discharge is non-toxic, and
the bottom ash is a valuable resource which can be used as aggregate. He stated that the
fly ash is a toxic alkali but can be used in other chemical processes.
He stressed that some alternative to landfill had to be found if Norfolk was to avoid high expenses and
fines.
Jon Beresford, Nottingham Against Incineration and Landfill, detailed experiences of his group with the incinerator at Eastcroft, Nottingham. He related the many instances of non-compliance and the weak response of the regulator, the Environment Agency.
Henry Bellingham (our MP) gave his reaction: he said he wasn't persuaded either way, but had grave reservations about the scheme: he suggested that the effects of very small particulates aren't well understood, that the traffic impact is going to be serious, and that an incinerator would damage the way that the Saddlebow area and Kings Lynn are perceived by potential businesses and residents. He rejected the idea of PFI financing on the grounds that it is very expensive. He suggested a local referendum to get public opinion on the scheme.
Paul Burall, (Borough Councillor for Dersingham) was strongly against the proposal on practically every count.
Questions from public concentrated on traffic and atmospheric discharges: the point was made that the incinerator isn't close to most of Norfolk's population so road miles will be excessive, that the road system around Kings Lynn isn't adequate for the extra traffic. That the contract term is too long: if waste can be reduced the need for incineration could reduce within the 25 year period. That the incinerator needed high energy (and therefore high value) feed. A waste consultant in the audience pointed out that the NCC's contention that the extra particulates, measured by weight, were trivial was based on flawed logic: the important thing is the particulate size and therefore their potential reactivity and toxicity so measurement by weight doesn't reflect the impact of stack particulates.
In a final show of hands, support for a local referendum was unanimous. Support for the incinerator was single-digit: against, overwelming.
NCC's timetable for the Saddlebow Incinerator:
Approximate! Written from memory so subject to revision!
- 2010: selection of commercial partner
- 2011: planning consent
- 2012: operating consent from the regulator (Environment Agency)
- 2013 - 15 Construction
- 2015 - 2040 Initial contract period
More information:
Norfok County Council: Freepost NC22093/8Planning & Transportation Dept,
Future of Waste 321
NORWICH NR21 2BR
www.norfolk.gov.uk/futureofwaste
Or email futureofwaste@norfolk.gov.uk
Kings Lynn without incineration (KLWIN): www.klwin.org/