The letter Maureen has drafted on behalf of the group is:
Ref no: 12/03137/FUL
I write on behalf of Sheffield Friends of the Earth to
express our objection to Veolia’s current application to vary Condition 3 of
permission 01/10135/FUL.
In 2001 Sheffield Friends of the Earth warned of the
forthcoming change in European waste legislation. This would lead to much higher recycling
rates and mean that within a few years there would not be enough waste to feed
such a huge incinerator. Sheffield
Friends of the Earth recommended that if the incinerator was to be built the
size should remain the same i.e. 125,000 tpa.
We were assured by Onyx that it would not be necessary to import huge
amounts of waste and Condition 3 was written allaying our fears. Now we read
‘Of the ERF’s 225,00 tonne per annum permitted capacity, only approximately
110,000 to 115,000 tonnes of MSW and 50,000 to 55,000 tonnes of C&I waste
are likely to be available year on year from within Sheffield.’ This phrase, on page 43 of the Supporting
Statement shows that a 125,000 tpa facility would have been sufficient and
recycling rates would have improved earlier due to pressure to reduce waste.
I will not expand on the greater value of recycling waste rather than burning it. This is shown in the waste hierarchy. It is possible to recycle up to 97% of household waste so clearly much of the waste reaching the incinerator could be more usefully dealt with. The UK uses 2.5 planets worth of resources and the burning of waste must surely be one of the most decadent acts currently taking place. Without the reuse of our resources we continue to use too much of the world’s cake.
We have the following particular points to make about this
application:-
- Sheffield Friends of the Earth would like to be assured that any imported waste is truly residual and cannot be recycled. The 2007 Waste Strategy states that waste that could be recycled should not be incinerated.
- We
would like to see Veolia attract far more local C&I waste rather than
resorting to more lucrative imports.
If it priced waste disposal more attractively for C&I, there
would be no need to import waste and no need for Condition 3 to be amended. If the only alternative were to supplement
feedstock with fossil fuels this would make good sense.
- Waste
should not be transported to Sheffield ERF if another ERF is nearer. We believe Newark and Sherwood, Amber
Valley, Ashfield and Mansfield are all nearer to Nottingham’s Eastcroft
incinerator. These areas should be
excluded from this permission.
Yours sincerely
Maureen Edwards
on behalf of Sheffield Friends of the Earth