Green wash new year

Happy new year!

Did you see the echo tonight talking about the battle for cardiff council and the parties manifestos.... how green are they ...plenty of greenwash there. Where is the Green party?
Battle to stop incinerator is stepped up but not in Cardiff (Scotsman)..A PUBLIC meeting has been organised by residents fighting plans to build a massive £140 million waste incinerator. (same bunch) Viridor Waste Management is set to submit ...

Greenwash from New Labour http://www.climatechangewales.org.uk/ Wow!! No mention of open cast mining at Ffos y Fran, East Merthyr on the Go green online A CLIMATE change website for Welsh people launched by Environment Minister Jane Davidson. Read
http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/news/cardiff-news/2007/12/31/go-green-online-91466-20298932/

Tories promise sensible transport schemes? Plaid are 'to get the city moving again'?

Shell and Gallons of Greenwash article

Energy Companies' Gallons of Greenwash
Source: The Guardian (UK), December 11, 2007

"Shell, the oil company that recently trumpeted its commitment to a low carbon future ... has quietly sold off most of its solar business," reports Terry Macalister. "The move, taken with BP's decision last week to invest in the world's dirtiest oil production in Canada's tar sands, indicates that Big Oil might be giving up its flirtation with renewables." A Shell spokesperson said the company's solar operations were "not bringing in any profit." Shell still invests in some wind farms and biofuels operations. Pratap Chatterjee questions the environmental impact of "the world's largest bio-diesel facility," which Finland's Neste Oil plans to build in Singapore. "The scheme could exacerbate global warming," he reports for CorpWatch. The "$800 million plant will use palm oil," boosting "demand for new palm oil plantations that displace environmentally sensitive forests." Chatterjee is also skeptical of General Electric's "clean coal" claims. "'Clean coal' technologies are only marginally more efficient [at reducing emissions] and far more expensive. Others ... are still on the drawing board and may never work."

East Moors Steelworks Danger

According to the Western Mail the East Moors Steelworks is the second
highest emitter of dioxins in Wales and the fifth highest emitter of
particulates.

http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/news/wales-news/2007/12/08/revealed-our-
biggest-polluters-91466-20222285/2/91466-20222285/2/

EA served an Enforcement Notice on the company in 2005.

Incinerators can burn big holes in public purse!

News from elsewhere

Incinerator burns hole in public purse
Almost £2 million of taxpayers' money has been spent on legal fees for a controversial incinerator.
The Argus | General news - http://www.theargus.co.uk

Sustainable waste policy is possible
By Philip Booth(Philip Booth)
Over the last couple of months I have been working more on our waste policy - see draft earlier on this blog for 9th November with photos of a monster incinerator - we are getting closer to completion. Today I helped draft a letter that ...
Ruscombe Green - http://ruscombegreen.blogspot.com/

Local councils advised to 'burn ' rubbish!!!

Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) fails to take the iniatative letting Wales down with their reaction to WAG's announcements of 70% recycling targets for 2025. Their recommendation to LAs is.... (you've guessed it!) "Energy from Waste", i.e. in all probability incinerators. Taking the least environmentally friendly option!

Let’s Recycle 23.10.07

The Welsh Assembly Government has asked local authorities in the Principality to consider increasing their recycling/composting rate to 70% by 2025.

Doing nothing beyond the current 40% recycling aim by 2010 is not an option because beyond that date the EU targets are set higher with the threat of fines if we do not meet them

Jane Davidson, Welsh Assembly Government

But council chiefs have reacted with scepticism and said the target would be "massively challenging" and "heroically ambitious", especially without massive investment.

Jane Davidson, the minister for environment, sustainability and housing, proposed the new rate at a meeting with council leaders and chief executives, last week. She said Wales had to "look at a harder focus" for targets in the future to combat climate change, reduce reliance on unsustainable landfill and meet EU targets for reducing biodegradable waste to landfill and boosting recycling.

Ms Davidson added: "Doing nothing beyond the current 40% recycling aim by 2010 is not an option because beyond that date the EU targets are set higher with the threat of fines if we do not meet them," she added.

The proposal would see the recycling rate rising from 40% in 2009-10 to 52% in 2012-13 to 58% in 2015-16, to 64% in 2019-20, and to 70% by 2024-25.

Wales hit a recycling/composting rate of 27.6% for 2006/07, beating its target of 25%. The Welsh Assembly announced a recycling funding injection of £14 million earlier this month, which also included setting up Wales's first plastic recycling unit (see letsrecycle.com story).

However, local authorities have reacted with caution to the minister's proposal to boost the recycling rate to 70%. The Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) chief executive Steve Thomas said: "We have to be realistic about what is achievable. The 70% target outlined by the Minister for 2025 is massively challenging for local authorities, even heroically ambitious.

He added: "If targets are to be the way forward then firstly the Assembly Government must look at whether it has the powers itself to bring about the massive cultural shift in consumer and producer behaviour that is needed and secondly whether commensurate levels of waste funding are available." The Association, which represents the country's 22 councils was also concerned about how funding could be provided to help local authorities meet the target.

Related links

· Welsh Assembly

· Welsh Local Government Association

Mr Thomas explained: "Whatever option we choose will require massive and increased investment. A recent report highlighted that an additional £86m was needed for local authorities to meet the 2010 diversion targets. Yet based on last week's Comprehensive Spending Review local government will only see a 0.8% real terms growth increase for waste management next year and 2% the following year."

He added that councils would be meeting with the Assembly Government to discuss all the options and that they were looking at energy-from-waste as "potential solution" to the waste problem.

PROJECT GWixDD ? What a Waste say Cardiff Friends of the earth?

Give us a zero wate strategy cardiff!!

PROJECT GWixDD ? What a Waste?

Despite the apparent universal coverage of the city's "Green Bag" scheme,
the recent opening of some new " Bring Sites",and and a fully-opperational
Mechanical Recycling Facility [MRF], Cardiff is still only managing to
recycle 27% of its household waste. Though this figure is in line with EU
Landfill Dirrective targets, the figure required by 2009-10 is 40% ?

The recently-reported practice of transporting recycled material long
distances for processing in the Third World is in NO waygood for the
environment.

Whilst the amount of Cardiff's waste continues to grow at about 5% per
annum, available landfill capacity at Lamby Way will last barely a year.
Even if a suitable replacement landfill site was available, the Council
cannot afford to wait 5 years in order to follow the necessary planning
procedure, [which is a legal requirement], in order to commence

operations. Given this difficult situation, [which somebody at the Council
must have seen coming a long time ago], its hardly surprising that other
methods are being considered. Building a massive incinerator in Cardiff
Bay, [otherwise known as Project Gwyrdd], is one way to deal with the
Residual Solid Waste [RSW] from half a dozen Local Authorities in SE Wales

This approach is unacceptable to Cardiff Friends of the Earth on the
grounds of,

• Excessive cost;
• Reducing the need to maximise the recycling of finite,valuable resources.
• Health risks from pollution and increased traffic.
• . The increased need for transport.
• Sheer waste of finite resources.
  

An alternative method would be to adopt a " Zero Waste" strategy, thereby
concentrating local authoritie's limited resources on maximising waste
reduction and re-use projects, in order to minimise the amount of RSW
requiring landfill.

Cardiff slight problem with contaminated recycling!

This is what happens when you collect interminged rubbish ...its difficult to recycle!!!

Title: UK-Cardiff: recycling equipment
Ref: 000000001949175
Document Type: Invitation to Tender Notice
Date Published: 30/11/2007
Deadline Date: 17/12/2007

Title: UK - Wales: recycling equipment
Document Ref: 1949175
Published on: 30-Nov-2007
Deadline: The deadline for responses is 17/12/2007.
Contract Type: This is a supply contract. Language: English Country:United Kingdom Notice

Type: Invitation to Tender Notice - Accelerated restricted procedure
Regulations: This document is regulated by theEuropean Supplies Directive 93/36/EEC. Source: Notice published in theEuropean JournalTitle attributed to the contract by the contracting authority: Supply and installation of equipment for the removal of organic material and shredded paper from recycled glass. Supply and installation of equipment to remove organic material from glass which has been through a material recycling process. Glass currently being recycled ranges from 60 mm to dust which requires the removal of organic material and shredded paper. The shredded paper is approximately 10 mm x 5 mm and is produced by industry standard cross cut shredders. Equipment is required to remove the contaminanation to less than 2%.CPV: 29241400.

Waste exported & dumped in Wales!

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2538880044

on discussion board..

Joe Llywelyn Griffith Blakesley says

In a similar vein, there is an implicit jurisdictional loophole in the national statutory instruments that implement the EU Waste Directive into UK law which means that _landfill_ waste that crosses national borders is not added to anyone's quotas.

The practical upshot of this is that English local authorities (esp. Liverpool) export their _landfill_ waste to Wales (and, to some extent, vice versa) in order to hit their targets for recycling vs. landfill and thereby not be subject to the statutory fines.

An example of such dumping in North Wales is the unlawful activity of Merseyside Waste Holdings (a wholly owned corporation of local authorities in Liverpool and the Mersey) which has been supported by the current Welsh Assembly Government (and about whose actions Rhodri Morgan has repeatedly lied and contradicted himself in my presence ) in their destruction of great-crested newt habitats on a European Special Area of Conservation at Hafod Quarry, Johnstown, Wrexham, in violation of international criminal law (and in such a way that they are unable to comply with the terms of their existing planning permission) and aided and abetted by constablPublish Postes of North Wales Police.

Unfortunately, the pre-May opposition parties reneged on a promise (made in response to a lot of lobbying) to boycott the penultimate WAG budget unless WAG removed the licenses for Hafod and similar projects.

• 
  

Latest coverage of welsh waste scandal!

Welsh recyclate heading east (04/12/2007)
MoreThanWaste - Northallerton,England,UK
People's good intentions could be compromised by the fact that some of the waste ends up being shipped half way round the world" Cardiff, Wales: Councils in ...

City waste heads to the Far East ic Wales, United Kingdom - 3 Dec 2007 Cardiff council was forced to own up to sending recycled materials to Indonesia, China, and India. And the council has come under attack from an Assembly ... Plaid calls for help to get Welsh-speakers off dole ic Wales, United Kingdom - 2 Dec 2007 WELSH speakers should be given Government help to improve their reading and writing skills and get them into work, Plaid Cymru said last night. ... Welsh recyclate heading east (04/12/2007) MoreThanWaste, UK - 4 Dec 2007 "This has grave implications, not only for the exploitation of the workers who pick through the rubbish, but also for the environment. ... Nationalists demand Welsh recycling review letsrecycle.com, UK - 4 Dec 2007 Plaid Cymru - the Party of Wales - is calling for a review of Welsh Government policy on recycling, following research conducted by the Party showing which ... Authorities must improve Daily Post, UK - 4 Dec 2007 LOCAL authorities across Wales are under the cosh – and rightly so – for packing our recyclable rubbish off to the four corners of the world. ... Rubbish from North Wales sent all over world Daily Post, UK - 3 Dec 2007 RUBBISH which North Wales people are told to leave by the kerb for recycling is being packed in ships and sent halfway across the globe. ... Rubbish from North Wales sent round the world for recycling Daily Post, UK - 2 Dec 2007 HOUSEHOLDERS in North Wales who sort out their rubbish for kerbside recycling are unwittingly sending plastic, textiles or glass half way round the world, ...

Cardiff Dumping our plastic bags in India!

Recycling waste shipped overseas http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7123969.stm
How disgraceful is this! Pressure group Greenpeace called for a ban on packaging recovery notes (PRNs) for waste exports. Greenpeace campaigner Mark Strutt said: “It is a cop out for companies responsible for recycling their waste to send it abroad. The proximity principle stands. It is highly questionable whether there is an environmental benefit to sending waste to be recycled in China.

“We are an industrialised country and are perfectly capable of dealing with our own waste. China should not have to accept the environmental impact of recycling. People have to ask themselves why it is cheaper to send waste abroad – is it due to cheap labour and lax environmental controls? And how do we know waste is actually being recycled when it is that far away?

“We would like to see a ban on exported waste under the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations. Companies sending waste abroad should not get PRNs.”

Crack down on exports of illegal waste

Authority outraged as its waste is sent to India

Battle erupts over calls to halt frenzy of waste export to Asia

Contaminated recycling – is the real issue co-mingled rubbish?

The type of recyclables generated in co-mingled sacks is of terrible quality. It’s so contaminated only the Far East market will touch it. And even they are becoming increasingly frustrated. Co-mingled waste has been shunned by European paper mills for some time so why are councils here wanting to use this method? It’s ridiculous.

See article below
Cardiff denies quality issues …"No quality issues" as revolutionary Cardiff MRF eyes new equipment
Cardiff’s two year old materials recycling facility (MRF), has already put in a tender to upgrade its equipment “to remove organic material and shredded paper from recycled glass”. When it opened the council run Cardiff MRF at Lamby Way was touted as a technological revolution but equipment to improve the quality assurance of its glass waste stream is being bought (June 14 2005 mrw.co.uk).
In the tender, procurement officers argue that “changing market conditions mean that without further cleansing the residual product will have to go to landfill and incur council fiscal penalties… Equipment is required to remove the contamination to less than 2%.”

Welsh recyclate heading east (04/12/2007) MoreThanWaste, UK - "This has grave implications, not only for the exploitation of the workers who pick through the rubbish, but also for the environment. ...

Nationalists demand Welsh recycling review letsrecycle.com, UK - Plaid Cymru - the Party of Wales - is calling for a review of Welsh Government policy on recycling, following research conducted by the Party showing which ...

Authorities must improve Daily Post, UK - LOCAL authorities across Wales are under the cosh – and rightly so – for packing our recyclable rubbish off to the four corners of the world. ...

City waste heads to the Far East

ic Wales - United Kingdom
Leanne Wood, AM for South Wales Central, said she was concerned the council initially denied it sent waste abroad following her Freedom of Information ...
See all stories on this topic

Councils admit exporting recycling
ic Wales -SEVEN councils in Wales have admitted exporting large quantities of household waste to be recycled thousands of miles away. Politicians last night warned ...

Cardiff County Council said 5.4% of its total recyclables consisted of cardboard that went to Indonesia and China. A further 2.1%, plastic bags, went to India, and 0.12%, mixed plastics, went to China.
See all stories on this topic

The UK's new rubbish dump: China | Special reports | Guardian ...

The current price for sending a standard 26-tonne container of waste plastic to China, he said, is about £500. The Tanjin Songzi Import and Export Trade ... www.guardian.co.uk/waste/story/0,12188,1308278,00.html - 46k -

Regional Waste Plans can only get better

regional waste plans.

• Jane Davidson's figure of 70% recycling is admirable - and can be brought forward from 2020 with popular support

• her "new directions" document knocks back the predictions for "residual waste" in the Regional Plans and all the company expectations of massive incinerators, gasifiers and pyrolysis plants,
  

• municipal waste is not increasing at the 4% per year assumed in the plans, but near zero - and should decrease as people turn to reduce and recycle

• these regional plans should be shelved, pending the issuing of the WAG/Jane Davidson's new waste strategy for discussion and adoption in the New Year.

stop Wales being carpeted with incinerators

Last spring 4 of the South East Wales Local authorities (LAs) were grouping together to source a residual waste treatment plant, codename Prosiect Gwyrdd (Project Green Wash). MBT was mentioned but then the focus shifted to EfW

There was a fairly good chance of influencing the LAs until WAG announced their capital spending fund for partnership working on waste projects would only awarded to EfW plants, not MBT. This decision seems to have been taken after seeing the Hyder report they commissioned for the Regional Waste Plan consultations. This, in turn, seems to be based on the WRATE analysis they did of the options.

The WRATE analysis Hyder did was biased in favour of EfW, the WAG should reconsider their position and stop Wales being carpeted with incinerators.

Load of Rubbish in Cardiff - Lamby Way!!

Third sector contribution to tackling climate change and renewable energy

Third Sector tackling climate change and renewable energy survey / Arolwg Trydydd Sector - newid hinsawdd ac ynni adnewyddiadwy

Please scroll down for message in English


Cyfraniad y trydydd sector at fynd i’r afael â newid yn yr hinsawdd ac ynni adnewyddadwy

Yn ystod un o’r cyfarfodydd a gynhelir ddwywaith y flwyddyn rhwng Gweinidogion Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru a chynrychiolwyr y sector ym mis Gorffennaf 2007, gofynnodd Jane Davidson AC, y Gweinidog dros yr Amgylchedd, Cynaliadwyedd a Thai, i’r sector ystyried blaenoriaethau allweddol yn ei phortffolio - newid yn yr hinsawdd ac ynni adnewyddadwy - a’r hyn y gallai’r sector ei wneud yn y meysydd hyn.

Yn ymateb i gais y Gweinidog, bydd Cyngor Gweithredu Gwirfoddol Cymru (WCVA) yn cydlynu’r gwaith hwn ar y cyd â grŵp cynllunio’r cyfarfodydd Gweinidogol, Cyswllt Amgylchedd Cymru, Cynnal Cymru, a’r Comisiwn Datblygu Cynaliadwy. Rydym eisiau gwybod beth mae’r sector yn ei wneud ar hyn o bryd yn y meysydd hyn a beth arall y carai’r sector ei wneud. Cyflwynir y wybodaeth hon gerbron y cyfarfod nesaf gyda’r Gweinidog ym mis Tachwedd 2007, gyda’r nod o ddarparu gwybodaeth a dylanwadu ar bolisïau ac adnoddau Llywodraeth y Cynulliad yn y dyfodol.

Os hoffech gymryd rhan, cliciwch ar
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=hyLWJUaWRnNyCdgA5N6GDQ_3d_3d a llenwi’r arolwg erbyn 5.00 p.m. dydd Gwener 12 Hydref 2007. Os oes gennych unrhyw ymholiadau am y gwaith hwn, cysylltwch â Gwenan Davies, Swyddog Polisi WCVA, ar 01686 611050 neu gdavies@wcva.org.uk

At one of the twice yearly meetings between Welsh Assembly Government Ministers and sector representatives in July 2007, Jane Davidson AM, the Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing, asked the sector to consider key priorities within her portfolio - climate change and renewable energy - and what the sector could do in these areas.

In response to the Minister's request, Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) will be co-coordinating this work in conjunction with the Ministerial meeting planning group, Wales Environment Link, Cynnal Cymru-Sustain Wales, and the Sustainable Development Commission. We are interested in finding out what the sector is currently doing in these areas and what more the sector would like to do. This information will be taken to the next meeting with the Minister in November 2007, with the aim of informing and influencing future Assembly Government policy and resourcing.

If you would like to participate, please click on
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=hyLWJUaWRnNyCdgA5N6GDQ_3d_3d and complete the survey by 5.00 p.m. Friday 12 October 2007. If you have any queries about this work, please contact Gwenan Davies, WCVA Policy Officer on 01686 611050 or gdavies@wcva.org.uk


Gerald Lewis Mid Wales Administrator / Gweinyddwr Canolbarth Cymru Tel: 01686 611050 Fax: 01686 627863 e-mail: glewis@wcva.org.uk www.wcva.org.uk
Wales Council for Voluntary Action
Europe Direct
Cyngor Gweithredu Gwirfoddol Cymru

Third sector contribution to tackling climate change and renewable energy

Third Sector tackling climate change and renewable energy survey / Arolwg Trydydd Sector - newid hinsawdd ac ynni adnewyddiadwy

Please scroll down for message in English


Cyfraniad y trydydd sector at fynd i’r afael â newid yn yr hinsawdd ac ynni adnewyddadwy

Yn ystod un o’r cyfarfodydd a gynhelir ddwywaith y flwyddyn rhwng Gweinidogion Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru a chynrychiolwyr y sector ym mis Gorffennaf 2007, gofynnodd Jane Davidson AC, y Gweinidog dros yr Amgylchedd, Cynaliadwyedd a Thai, i’r sector ystyried blaenoriaethau allweddol yn ei phortffolio - newid yn yr hinsawdd ac ynni adnewyddadwy - a’r hyn y gallai’r sector ei wneud yn y meysydd hyn.

Yn ymateb i gais y Gweinidog, bydd Cyngor Gweithredu Gwirfoddol Cymru (WCVA) yn cydlynu’r gwaith hwn ar y cyd â grŵp cynllunio’r cyfarfodydd Gweinidogol, Cyswllt Amgylchedd Cymru, Cynnal Cymru, a’r Comisiwn Datblygu Cynaliadwy. Rydym eisiau gwybod beth mae’r sector yn ei wneud ar hyn o bryd yn y meysydd hyn a beth arall y carai’r sector ei wneud. Cyflwynir y wybodaeth hon gerbron y cyfarfod nesaf gyda’r Gweinidog ym mis Tachwedd 2007, gyda’r nod o ddarparu gwybodaeth a dylanwadu ar bolisïau ac adnoddau Llywodraeth y Cynulliad yn y dyfodol.

Os hoffech gymryd rhan, cliciwch ar
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=hyLWJUaWRnNyCdgA5N6GDQ_3d_3d a llenwi’r arolwg erbyn 5.00 p.m. dydd Gwener 12 Hydref 2007. Os oes gennych unrhyw ymholiadau am y gwaith hwn, cysylltwch â Gwenan Davies, Swyddog Polisi WCVA, ar 01686 611050 neu gdavies@wcva.org.uk

At one of the twice yearly meetings between Welsh Assembly Government Ministers and sector representatives in July 2007, Jane Davidson AM, the Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing, asked the sector to consider key priorities within her portfolio - climate change and renewable energy - and what the sector could do in these areas.

In response to the Minister's request, Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) will be co-coordinating this work in conjunction with the Ministerial meeting planning group, Wales Environment Link, Cynnal Cymru-Sustain Wales, and the Sustainable Development Commission. We are interested in finding out what the sector is currently doing in these areas and what more the sector would like to do. This information will be taken to the next meeting with the Minister in November 2007, with the aim of informing and influencing future Assembly Government policy and resourcing.

If you would like to participate, please click on
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=hyLWJUaWRnNyCdgA5N6GDQ_3d_3d and complete the survey by 5.00 p.m. Friday 12 October 2007. If you have any queries about this work, please contact Gwenan Davies, WCVA Policy Officer on 01686 611050 or gdavies@wcva.org.uk


Gerald Lewis Mid Wales Administrator / Gweinyddwr Canolbarth Cymru Tel: 01686 611050 Fax: 01686 627863 e-mail: glewis@wcva.org.uk www.wcva.org.uk
Wales Council for Voluntary Action
Europe Direct
Cyngor Gweithredu Gwirfoddol Cymru

Incinerator enigma! letter to the echo

Dear Editor Incinerator Puzzle

As the Lib-Dems centrally oppose incineration, I was puzzled why Cardiff's Lib-Dems are driving towards an incinerator in Cardiff Bay. But the record of their chief officer explains a lot.I see Phil Sherratt was with Greater Manchester Waste where he started kerbside collections, but costly wheelie bins too. He also promoted the Bolton incinerator with 128,000 tonnes design capacity for 80,000 tonnes of local arisings, which has never operated to the design capacity. Moving to Mercia Waste Management he headed up their team which argued the Kidderminster incinerator was essential. The incinerator Inquiry was humiliating (for MMW) when the Inspector refused their appeal in spite of MWM having a PPC permit and a long term contract - and left MWM with no 'plan B'.

So his record in Cardiff is not so different - slow and poor on recycling, proposed to make refuse-drived fuel for cement kilns, filled up Lamby Way tip with commercial refuse and delayed planning for a replacement, then left Councillors with the one option - ie. Viridor's incinerator at 400 000 tonnes capacity, far above the non-recyclable waste total of under 100 000 tonnes per year.

Max WallisSE Wales FOE group on waste

Ruddock backs anaerobic digestion for food waste

Minister Joan Ruddock has spoken of the forthcoming protocol for anaerobic digestion to be published next year, as she explained what is being done to bring more certainty for investors regarding the technology.
Mrs Ruddock was giving the key note speech yesterday at the Environmental Services Association conference on anaerobic digestion in Westminster.17-10-2007

Incinerator's cost doubles

Exclusive by Jess Bauldry and Lawrence Marzouk
The construction costs of a controversial incinerator project have more than doubled from original estimates.

A total of £145.7 million will now have to be paid by waste contractor Veolia just to prepare the site in Newhaven and to build the incinerator.

Project Greenwash Officer

The Cardiff County Council Officer for Prosiect Gwyrdd is Robert Lambourne.

The Council representatives for the Members Steering Group are Cllr Mark Stephens and Cllr Elgan Morgan.

Project Greenwash Officer

The Cardiff County Council Officer for Prosiect Gwyrdd is Robert Lambourne.

The Council representatives for the Members Steering Group are Cllr Mark Stephens and Cllr Elgan Morgan.

Incinerator cost shock!

Incinerator cost shock Eastbourne Herald, - 3 Oct 2007By Joanne Smith A major row has broken out following claims that a controversial incinerator will now cost double its original estimate. ...

suffolk to go ahead with incinerator

Suffolk to go ahead with incinerator Suffolk Evening Star - Ipswich, England,
But there has still been no site identified for the incinerator which would burn waste and provide electricity for thousands of homes across the county. ...

Viridor Suffolk waste

Lackford Integrated Waste Management Facility Viridor Suffolk Waste...
the site as an integrated waste management. facility by creating a ... The development of the...
www.entecuk.com/downloads/pp_062.pdf

Allington Waste incinerator turned off indefinitely

A WASTE recycling plant has been shut down because of serious design flaws.

Allington Incinerator could be closed indefinitely after it was discovered an insulating lining in its furnaces is not able to cope withthe heat of the fires.It means that 5,000 tonnes of rotting rubbish will now have to be moved to a landfill site.

Kent Enviropower, which runs the recycling plant in Laverstock Road, admitted there is an issue with the insulating lining in the furnaces, which will have to be replaced. Cllr Tony Harwood (Lib Dem), cabinet member for the environment, said: "Obviously, the furnaces get very, very hot and it has done damage to the linings."I expect the heat has caused the tiles to expand and that has loosened them."Almost 5,000 tonnes of rubbish in bunkers at the site will now be sent to a landfill site near Canterbury because it will be unsuitable for burning by the time the plant reopens.

Paul Andrews, managing director of Kent Enviropower, said the company was going through a process of "testing and improving the facility".He believes the furnaces will be able to burn rubbish again when the plant eventually reopens, but it may not be able to generate electricity for a "considerable period".Kent Enviropower has been unable to confirm when the plant will be fully operational again.* For full story see the Kent Messenger.Report from Kent Messenger

Cardiff Officers are pushing their Council to incineration

• – and taking Newport, Monmouth, Vale of Glamorgan and Caerphilly with them. The report to the Env Scrutiny Cttee of 10 July shows dubious methods www.cardiff.gov.uk/content.asp?nav=2872,3250&parent_directory_id=2865&id=1509
  
  Recall the background
• Phil Sherratt as Chief Waste Officer in mid-2004 promised to get to grips with Cardiff’s low recycling record and increasing waste (4-6% per yr he said); he would end black-bag collection via wheelie bins plus a green bag for recyclables (but collected only once a month); he’d go for new landfill capacity, seeing Lamby Way filling up.
  
• Sherratt in 2005 advised Cardiff to go for refuse-derived fuel, with outlets at Lafarge Cement works, Tower Colliery incinerator, Torfaen’s ReChem site incinerator, etc.
• This would fit with the 2004 SE Region Waste Plan (www.sewaleswasteplan.org/) for maximising recycling/composting and MBT on the remnants, because RDF would be the product of MBT
• Sherratt advised dropping RDF as none of the outlets available. Switched attention to replacement landfill capacity, with Lamby Way fast filling up with high income from commercial waste [1]. Said takes 5 yrs to commission a new landfill, so they need emergency options.
• Consultants commissioned to report on landfill options, which (as expected) raised public opposition
• Sherratt having failed to meet recycling targets, dropped RDF plans and failed on replacement landfill gets promoted to chief Transportation etc. officer.
  
  Now Cardiff find they will have to pay £11 M landfill costs and forgo £3M commercial waste income per year. The report says the landfill TAX element is refunded by WAG. But as this is not guaranteed, the big costs are retained to make a costly incinerator look good.
• Abandon plans for a new landfill, despite admitting any strategy needs landfill [1]. The need is for 25% landfill post-treatment (eg. diversion from incineration and ashes produced in incineration), yet no mention made of this large quantity, nor the high costs of transport and dumping elsewhere, nor the proximity principle requiring landfill.
• Plan for 3 to 5 times the incineration capacity “needed”, 300-400 000 tonnes per year. This compares with 300 000 t/yr from the four (plus maybe 50 000 Caerphilly) half or more of which should be recycled, 20% food waste that should go for AD (Cardiff is buying in-vessel composting) so residual waste even on rough figures would be ~100 000 t/yr (unattractive for commercial incineration – the Viridor scheme talks of 500 000 t/yr [2]). Their models apparently include waste increasing by 1.5% per yr, on the basis that increases have been “in the recent past by as much as 1.5% in the past”! The “current requirements of the wider region” (para.49) tacitly admits they intend to import waste to their giant incinerator.
• claim that all the authorities are “delivering and proposing new options for high recycling and composting figures” (when Cardiff was bottom at ~10% [3]). WAG’s Capital Access Fund is conditional on good performance in recycling etc., hence this claim. The document claims not to understand what WAG’s 25% limit on incineration means (para. 35) – clearly means no more than 25% of the 350 000t plus growth.
  
• invite proposals to build a ‘facility’, but make MBT plus landfill impossible (or impossibly costly), by dropping plans for a new landfill on the excuse that it would take 5 to 10 yrs (yet the ‘facility’ is timed for 2013). In fact, the fall-back tipping option appears to be an “overtip” on Lamby Way, to which there were “no fundamental objections”.
  
• the impudent name “Prosiect Gwyrdd” is chosen on the basis that greenfields are not ‘consumed’ or methane produced (para. 26), with no mention of air pollutants and toxic ashes.
• the figures imply the VoG would have immense tonnages of untreated biol degradable waste (BMW) of 26 500 t (10 000t over limit) by 2013 – I suspect inflated or worst case by the Vale’s pro-incineration officer.
• no “maximum recycling” option has been considered, just a “do minimum” and pay fines at £200/t, yet clearly recycling is much cheaper (Newport WasteSavers are at ~£50 /t)
• with the biased options, incineration comes out “cheaper”, though still with a £20M /yr “affordability gap” (£3M from VoG). That “MBT” is a further ~£15M /yr is curious, as in other places (eg. Oxford) MBT came cheaper. It may be that the procurement outline was oriented to Hampshire’s (the infamous ‘Integra’) which has huge incinerators; or maybe that the bidder was required to transport MBT-product way out of S-E Wales.
  
  [1] the mid 2005 assessment (Env. Scrutiny Cttee 14 June) said “Cardiff will continue to require landfill capacity indefinitely for some proportion of its waste, regardless of what action is taken to process residual waste. … A replacement landfill facility will need to be in place and operational by the time Lamby Way is full.” “Regardless of which of the available technologies (for waste treatment) are adopted, it is likely that a residue of approximately 25% of current waste arisings will still require disposal at landfill.” Treatment options were: Incineration; Gas Pyrolysis; Anaerobic Digestion; MBT or BMT; Autoclaving; Composting.
  
  [2] On the previous Ocean Technical Glass site in Cardiff Bay. An industrial site with ‘clean’ business would now go for the dirtiest type. Battle lines drawn over £150m Cardiff incinerator LetsRecycle 15-06-2007
  www.letsrecycle.com/do/ecco.py/view_item?listid=37&listcatid=217&listitemid=8850
  [3] Cardiff’s policy agreement with WAG adopted the minimum targets in the SE Regional Plan with “at least 25% recycling/composting by 2006/7. In mid-2005, Cardiff projected 12% recycling and 8 % composting, so planned to fall short of the WAG-agreed target. They now talk of 30% in 2007/8, but not the 40% WAG-agreed target for 2009/10. The Council Leader Rodney Berman gives 50% by 2013 in his defence against the rush to incinerate (http://cardiffincinerator.blogspot.com/). Cardiff have made two bad choices – wheelie bins that are known to generate high amounts of waste, and collection plus machine separation of mixed recyclables, which is known to give high levels of contamination and discards.
  
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Information via WAG/Andy Rees 3 Sept 07
  The Capital Access Fund applications are being assessed this month (September) by his unit (ANNEX)
  The Minister is keen on increasing recycling to the maximum
• they are looking at the achievement in Flanders and may choose 70% recycling
• they say it’s essential not to create surplus incineration capacity and are looking closely at Cardiff’s 400 000 t/yr claim
• Cardiff could claim they intend to recycle incinerator bottom ash, if they limited toxic metals etc. (though this is inflexible as bottom ash may be reclassified as hazardous waste)
  
  Priority items for the Capital Access Fund are # AD plus collection system # auto-sorting of plastics
  
  Andy Rees is unsure about requiring a coherent plan that includes sufficient landfill capacity (for 10 or 20 yrs). Newport has ~15 yrs capacity at Docks Way for its own waste
  
  The Regional Waste Plan 1st Review
  A document for consultation will be published in 2007-08.In March 2006 the Members Steering Group agreed a document scoping the RWP 1st Review entitled ‘The Regional Waste Plan 1st Review – Content & Approach (777k)’, proposing two principal elements:• A Regional Waste Strategy which sets out a preferred mix of waste management / resource recovery technologies and capacities for managing the forecast arisings of all controlled waste streams.• A spatial element that guides the location of new facilities.
  
  The Regional Waste Strategy will be formulated by generating a number of alternative strategic waste management ‘Options’. The Options will then be assessed for their performance against various environmental, social and economic criteria using a Lifecycle Assessment tool that will feed into a wider Sustainability Assessment, a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), a Health Impact Assessment (HIA)
  
  ANNEX – details of the Capital Access Fund, evaluation criteria and guidelines.
  
  RCAF/07/C
  ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION CRITERIA
  
  The following are the assessment and evaluation criteria against which applications will be scored.
  
  1 The proposal meets the aims of Wise about Waste, including its promotion of sustainable development (maximum 10%)
  
  2 The proposal meets one of the requirements below (maximum 25%).
  
  a. a plastics autosorter to sort plastic bottles, including plastic bottles from the municipal waste stream in Wales;
  b. vehicles, plant and equipment for the collection and treatment of food wastes, including municipal food wastes in Wales;
  c. capital work preparatory to the development of facilities that derive energy from waste – including support for procurement of capital assets up to a limit of £200k in any one case. Local authorities should clearly identify the revenue element that they are committing in support of procurement.
  
  3 For energy from waste facilities, estimated quantity of MSW the proposal will divert from landfill (as % of total municipal waste arising in the areas of all the collaborating LAs) (Maximum 20%).
  
  > 60% of total MSW (10%)
  40 to 60% of total MSW (15%)
  < 40% of total MSW (20%)
  
  4 For a plastic bottles autosorter/washing plant and for an anaerobic digestion plant, estimated quantity of each specific, relevant, waste stream to be diverted (as % of total of that waste stream arising in the areas of all the collaborating LAs). There must be a minimum of two collaborating LAs. (Maximum 20%).
  
  30 to 40% of the specific waste stream (10%)
  41 to 50% of the specific waste stream (15%)
  > 51% of the specific waste stream (20%)
  
  5 The proposal contains evidence that markets have been identified for the energy, recyclate or compost from the proposed facility. (Maximum 20%).
  
  Potential markets have been identified and quantified (maximum 10%)
  
  Markets have been identified and quantified and there is evidence of support for the application from potential customers (15%)
  Markets have been identified and quantified and there is evidence of commitment to contracts from potential customers (20%)
  
  6 The proposal includes all the funding required to develop the proposed facility. (Maximum 20%).
  
  A business case identifying potential funding sources, including eligible grants, loans and assets/finance held by the applicant (10%)
  
  A business case identifying confirmed funding sources, including eligible grants, loans and assets/finance held by the applicant (20%)
  
  7 Does the proposal include the co-management of municipal, industrial and commercial waste (in a State Aid compliant manner)? (If yes, 5%)
  
  8 Proposals must be State aid compliant and fit with a current scheme or block exemption. If a proposal does not, consideration will be given to notifying the proposal to the European Commission and a case needs to be made for the State aid proposed.
  
  CAF/07/D
  GUIDELINES FOR THE REGIONAL CAPITAL ACCESS FUND (RCAF)
  
  Purpose The Welsh Assembly Government will establish a Regional Capital Access Fund (RCAF) to support the procurement of waste management infrastructure by local authorities. This paper sets out the outcomes the Welsh Assembly Government wishes to achieve and the guiding principles for the fund.
  
  The provision of capital grant funding will help:
  · secure private sector investment
  · stimulate interest from private sector waste management companies including the community sector
  · lower the level of private finance borrowing and hence reduce interest payments (which are usually factored into gate fees)
  
  Objectives
  The Assembly Government’s objectives in relation to the RCAF are:
  · to ensure that the waste infrastructure necessary is provided to meet EC Directives and Assembly Government Waste Strategy targets
  · to ensure that the most sustainable solutions are delivered for the management of waste in Wales particularly in respect of municipal waste
  · to ensure that the most cost effective solutions are delivered at least overall cost to the public purse particularly in respect of municipal waste
  · to encourage and support collaborative working by local authorities in order to provide economies of scale and reduce costs for the management of municipal waste
  · to ensure as far as possible the co-management of municipal, industrial and commercial wastes in order to provide economies of scale and reduce costs for the management of municipal waste and provide sustainable and cost effective solutions for the recycling, recovery and disposal of industrial and commercial wastes
  · to operate a capital grant system to support and incentivise the further development of an efficient and effective waste management infrastructure in Wales, in line with EC State aid rules
  
  General guidelines for the Regional Capital Access Fund
  The following principles will guide the RCAF:
  · the development and operation of high technology waste management plants is a complex and highly skilled operation that is best performed by organisations with a long track record of developing and managing that particular technology
  · such experience and expertise is only provided by the private sector
  · funding under the RCAF will be available i) to private sector organisations or ii) to consortia of local authorities to award to private sector organisations for projects procured by the consortia by competitive tender
  · bids by local authorities for funding for projects should be made by a consortium (or designated lead authority on behalf of a consortium)
  · bids should be accompanied by a detailed implementation plan including outputs, contribution to landfill diversion targets, details of costs, funding arrangements, amount of grant required and reasons for the amount and details of the grant profile
  · grant paid via a local authority will drawn down by the consortium (or designated lead local authority) to be paid to the successful tenderer against agreed project milestones
  · Welsh Assembly Government will confirm in principle whether or not it can make grant available including confirming it is within the scope of the relevant State aid approvals (see below)
  · payments will be made quarterly in arrears by means of a standard invoice
  · grants will not be paid in advance of need
  · if grant is not drawn down in line with the profile in one year the grant for that year will be reduced. It is not usually possible to carry sums of grant over from one financial year to the next and grant not drawn down in any one year may be lost to the RCAF and to the project. It is at the discretion of the Welsh Assembly Government whether to increase the grant for the following year to compensate
  · grant will only be offered for projects which help to deliver local authority targets for municipal waste and meet the policies and priorities of the Wales Waste Strategy including EU landfill diversion targets
  · grant will only be awarded for projects which involve collaborative partnerships or joint solutions for groups of local authorities or serve more than one local authority area
  · in order to meet landfill diversion targets for 2010 priority will be given to projects for recycling and composting/AD of the source separated fraction
  · in order to accelerate landfill diversion of residual non-recyclable waste, and given that given that public funds will always be constrained, priority for grant will also be given to plant which addresses residual waste disposal including energy from waste
  · priority will also be given to projects with the potential capacity to deal with industrial and commercial waste
  · in addition to energy from waste plants some further example of projects which could attract capital grant support are set out in appendix A
  · the Welsh Assembly Government will enter into discussions with private organizations and local authority consortia about the availability of grant from the RCAF with immediate effect
  · standard Welsh Assembly Government grant terms and conditions including claw-back will also apply
  · the RCAF will be administered by the Waste Management & LEQ Unit, Department for Environment, Planning and Countryside, Welsh Assembly Government
  
  State Aids
  The Welsh Assembly Government must ensure that financial and other assistance it provides to organisations involved in economic activity is state aid compliant. Most direct capital support grant schemes for undertakings operating in the waste management market are likely to constitute State aid and will require the necessary Commission approval before the aid is granted, either by ensuring that it complies fully with an existing approved scheme or a block exemption or by notifying the aid separately to the Commission.
  
  Many of the existing European State aid rules are based on allowing (limited) aid to undertakings, in recognition of the failure of the market to deliver optimal solutions in specific activity areas. There may also be distinct market failures affecting the delivery of waste management activity in Wales that are not covered under the existing State aid regulations. Where such a market failure can be identified and evidenced, and it is considered appropriate to provide support to address that market failure, there is scope to notify such aid schemes to the Commission for direct assessment of compatibility under the Treaty.
  
  As a general principle, for aid to be deemed to compatible it must aim to induce an undertaking to do something they would not otherwise do under normal market conditions. The aid must be necessary to offset some economic, regional or structural handicap and must therefore be justified in relation to specific Community objectives. State aid should only be used when it is an appropriate instrument for meeting a well defined objective, when it creates the right incentives, is proportionate and when it distorts competition to the least possible extent.
  
  The capital grants will aim to:
  · provide direct investment in undertakings in support of developing the internal market for the provision of waste management activity
  · provide investment and incentives in support of specific market failures for example, where there is an uncertainty in the return of a specific type of new investment; the risks and costs associated with obtaining and using appropriate waste materials or the negative prejudgements with consumers of products made from recycled materials
  
  There is potential scope to provide support for a capital grant scheme for the development of waste management infrastructure and market in line with the following State aid cover
  · SME Block exemption, which allows aid to be given to small and medium sized enterprises towards investment in tangible assets
  · Regional Aid Block Exemption, which provides cover for transparent investment aid schemes to support new productive investments in Assisted areas
  · Extension of State aid N412/2005 (subject to WRAP, DTI and Commission agreement), a notified scheme established by WRAP, which provides cover for a capital grant scheme established to increase the recycling of waste by subsidising investments by private companies in recycling facilities where there is an identified market failure
  · Direct notification of a scheme or individual award of aid to the Commission for assessment and approval either under the Regional Aid Guidelines or directly under the Treaty as appropriate
  
  Further consideration will be given to the appropriate State aid cover and the administrative requirements necessary once the detailed delivery mechanisms for the grant support scheme are identified and confirmed. It will be essential for local authority consortia to discuss proposals at the earliest opportunity with Welsh Assembly Government.
  
  Funding for the Regional Capital Access Fund
  
  Funding for the RCAF was identified in the Sustainable Waste Management Grant (SWMG) letter for 2006-07 sent to all local authorities in July 2006. The fund is £7 million in 2007/08 and £9 million in 2008/09. In addition £1 million will be made available each year as part of the scheme to support local authority procurement work.
  
  Other Welsh Assembly Government Grant Schemes
  Other Welsh Assembly Government capital grant schemes to support the development of municipal waste management infrastructure (not including RSA/AIG) are:
  · the Waste Strategy budget – there are funds available for capital projects such as the Regional Compost R&D and Demonstration plants
  · Sustainable Waste Management Grant (SWMG) - paid annually to local authorities to support additional activity on recycling and composting (largely used for revenue support, but can be used for capital funding of facilities such as household waste recycling centres, composting plants or material recovery facilities)
  
  In respect of industrial and commercial waste, grants are available from the Materials Action Programme (MAP) for Wales. The MAP grant programme is run in Wales by WRAP under the terms of previously notified State Aid schemes.
  
  European Funding
  The draft Strategic Framework for Waste under the Convergence Fund 2007-2013 contains a key fund to provide capital funding. It is also proposed that the Competitiveness Fund will also be used to support waste management.
  
  Department for Environment, Planning and Countryside
  March 2007
  
  
  APPENDIX A
  PRIORITY PROJECTS FOR CAPITAL GRANTS
  The following projects are priorities for capital grant to reflect policy priorities within Wise About Waste.
  
  A plastics auto-sorter: a plastics auto-sorter is an essential strategic facility. A single auto-sorter can serve the whole of Wales, since the reprocessors are located in different parts of Wales, from which feedstock may be collected from clusters of local authorities. In addition to an auto-sorter, some washing is required to prepare the plastic for sale into the market.
  The strategic advantage of this is the creation of secure and stable markets for separated plastic polymers, which will encourage Welsh local authorities to recycle this material. It is the recycling of plastic bottles that will reduce the volume of waste collected from households more significantly than any other recycling (for the majority of households). This will greatly assist in helping the move to fortnightly collection of municipal wastes, since the issue of volume capacity will have been largely addressed.
  
  Anaerobic Digestion plants: two strategically located anaerobic digestion plants would be able to treat separately collected food wastes from the majority of Welsh local authorities. Evidence from, amongst others, the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) is that the most cost effective way of meeting composting targets is to separately collect food wastes (weekly) and to treat them in an AD plant, to recover energy. The digestate produced can be used for lower specification applications, eg silviculture.
  
  Providing treatment plants with a gate fee less than landfill gate fees is a key to encouraging this aspect of the waste strategy. AD is well placed in this respect because of the revenues from the sale of energy.
  
  Vehicles/receptacles for separate collection of food wastes: the treatment of food wastes is dependent upon a system of collection that can provide the food waste feedstock to the AD (and other) plants. Food waste collections can take place as part of weekly dry recyclable collection, as separate collection or co-collection with other wastes. To optimise the collection of food waste, new vehicles will be necessary to facilitate extensive weekly collections.
  
  Consultancy and preparation of thermal treatment facilities: it is very unlikely that any local authority will be able to spend money on thermal treatment or disposal facilities in the short term. However, consortia of local authorities are likely to be engaged in procurement, land acquisition, Environmental Impact Assessments, planning applications and other activities for such facilities. Provided that these activities, which are essential to progressing thermal treatment facilities, are capable of being classed as capital activities, then they will be an important aspect of the RCAF.

incinerator costs double

Exclusive by Jess Bauldry and Lawrence Marzouk

The construction costs of a controversial incinerator project have more than doubled from original estimates.A total of £145.7 million will now have to be paid by waste contractor Veolia just to prepare the site in Newhaven and to build the incinerator.Last night Brighton and Hove City Council agreed to help Veolia meet its financial burden by extending the life of the contract from 25 to 30 years. MORE

Councillors stage sit-in at incinerator meeting..

Sorry .. not here...news from else where

Councillors stage sit-in at incinerator meeting Sussex Express - Lewes,England,

LibDem councillors staged a dramatic sit-in after Tory councillors tried to throw them out of a meeting to discuss the Newhaven incinerator yesterday ...

Incinerator set for Suffolk Suffolk Evening Star - Ipswich,England,
Suffolk County Council is to go ahead with proposals to build an incinerator and power station to deal with residual waste which can not be reused, ...

MP lobbies county council over incinerator plans Aylesbury Today Bucks Herald - Aylesbury, England By Richard Hartley-Parkinson FEARS over proposals for an incinerator in Aston Clinton have been addressed in a letter to Aylesbury MP David Lidington. ...

Norfolk and Cambridgeshire are going for MBT

Going for MBT ...Norfolk and Cambridgeshire

Norfolk switched after they had approved an 'Energy from Waste Plant' (as incinerators are usually termed..greenwash) but found the opposition too hot. Cardiff Councillors take notice!!!

Norwich call for Ban on incineration

Call for blanket ban on incineration Norwich Evening News - Norwich, England,Norfolk County Council's Liberal Democrat group has reignited the long-running incinerator debate by calling for the authority to put a blanket ban on any ...

Ban the Burner Exeter

Say NO to the Exeter Incinerator, and NO to Landfill Say YES to MBT, and YES to Minimising Waste
Click here to place your Online Objection to the proposed incinerator
The Alternative to Incineration is MBT
Say NO to Landfill, and NO to Incineration. There is a better alternative which:
Emits less CO2 Increases Recycling Rates and still enables Devon to avoid Landfill Fines under the EU Landfill Directive. It is MBT (Mechanical Biological Treatment) in association with Anaerobic Digestion:

The Mechanical Part: An MBT plant will process the residual waste with various mechanical techniques to break up and separate into 3 streams. 1 - Metals, glass and plastics can be recovered increasing recycling rate; 2 - biological/organic material for further processing in an Anaerobic Digester, and 3 - stabilised landfill.

The Biological Part: The organic fraction is digested within a sealed tank with outputs of biogas which can produce electricity to run the plant and supply the national grid, and a soil improvement material which will allow Devon to meet its biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) allowance under the EU Landfill Directive.
The capacity of MBT facilities ranges from very small plants treating 10,000 tonnes/year or less, to large scale integrated facilities with capacities of over 200,000 tonnes/year. Capital costs have been estimated at around £8 million for a 50,000 tonnes/year plant. The number of MBT plants in the UK is increasing, with up to 15 local authorities likely to be employing the technology by 2010. On mainland Europe there are 80 MBT plants in operation in Germany, Austria, Spain and Italy.
MBT is more climate friendly than Incineration:



The table shows the net balance of greenhouse gas emissions for the MBT facility and an incinerator. They show the situation where the avoided electricity source is gas. The result is that for each tonne treated in the MBT facility, savings of the order 940kg per tonne CO2 equivalent can be realised.
Thus for a 60,000 tonne incinerator the total CO2 emissions from the incinerator will be 48,000 tonnes. But an MBT will actually reduce CO2 emissions by 8,000 tonnes. The differential is 56,000 tonnes of CO2. That is the climate cost of an incinerator.
A Sustainable Waste Strategy which includes all elements of the waste cycle:
We believe that the following integrated strategy is what we should be following instead of incinerating our waste.

1: Waste Minimisation
We should focus on minimising waste as a first priority. Despite much talk about this issue, it is just not happening. Indeed DCC are planning for an INCREASE in waste arisings of 50% over the next 30 years. Devon should be looking at reductions in waste of about 30% over the next 30 years. Bearing in mind that waste arisings have been reducing by 1% a year recently, this is not unrealistic.

2: High recycling rates
We should be recycling more waste. Devon’s target is actually quite good. (40% now, increasing to 65% by 2025). But it could be better. I think we should be able to get this up to 70% by 2025, and possibly 80% by 2035.
Note that the combination of the above two realistic changes to waste policy reduces the amount of residual waste in Devon by 2035 from 200,000 tonnes to 60,000 tonnes per annum. This would be suitable for 3 MBT plants; one in Exeter, one in South Devon, and another in North Devon.

3: Residual Waste Treatment
The Best Practicable Environmental Option for the residual waste is Mechanical Biological Treatment in conjunction with Anaerobic Digestion producing Biogas, Digestate and a small amount to Landfill. (i.e. no Incineration and no Refuse Derived Fuel)

4: Long term
Beyond 2050 we should be thinking of Zero Waste.
Click here to place your Online Objection to the proposed incinerator

Latest Update: December 2006
Web page updated by Maurice Spurway - Exeter Friends of the Earth
Return to Home

Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire form waste partnership

22-12-2006 The unitary authority of Milton Keynes has agreed a new long-term waste management partnership with Northamptonshire county council, it was announced today.
The two councils have signed a memorandum of understanding that marks the first step on the way to letting a major long-term waste management contract together.

Agreement: (seated) Northamptonshire's leader Jim Harker and Milton Keynes leader Isobel McCall with (standing, left to right) MK corporate director Brian Sandom, Defra's Ben Prynn, Northamptonshire head of waste Steven Bell and Defra's John Enright
Discussions have now started on a £500,000 project to develop a business case to form the basis of a contract procurement process. This is likely to take until October 2007, focussing on the potential benefits possible through the joint procurement of waste facilities.
The councils hope to achieve greater economies of scale, share ideas and investigate new technologies to address future waste and recycling needs through the partnership.
It is believed working together could bring about an 18% efficiency saving compared to the councils operating independently.
PFI Working together also increases the two councils' chances of obtaining support through the Private Finance Initiative if the partnership decides to go down that route.
A new project board has already been set up to include Cabinet members, senior finance, legal and technical officers from both authorities, who will meet regularly to monitor the project.
The development of a joint business case will be supported by an experienced transactor, provided by Defra through its Waste Infrastructure Development Programme.
Waste issues do not stop at the county border, so it makes good sense to look at the possible financial and practical advantages that could be accomplished by working jointly. - Cllr Jim Harker, Northamptonshire CC Project directors Ben Prynn and John Enright from the Waste Infrastructure Development Programme witnessed the memorandum of understanding being signed and they will continue to offer support as the project progresses.

Commenting on the agreement, Northamptonshire county council’s leader, Jim Harker, said: "Waste issues do not stop at the county border, so it makes good sense to look at the possible financial and practical advantages that could be accomplished by working jointly and Milton Keynes is the obvious choice for us."

"Huge impact"The leader of Milton Keynes council, Isobel McCall, said: "The population in our area is steadily rising and this will have a huge impact on the amount of waste generated. We need to act now to find a long-term solution and introduce more sustainable methods of waste management.”

The forming of the partnership has been made that much smoother because the recycling performances of each is relatively similar, with Milton Keynes achieving a 31.6% recycling and composting rate in 2005/06 and Northamptonshire a 34.6% rate, both significantly higher than the 27% national average.

Despite the strong performances, the attention of Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire councils is on the potential £150 per tonne fines they face under the government's Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme over the next two decades.

PoliciesMilton Keynes, home of one of the first materials recycling facilities in the UK, has previously considered pursuing a joint procurement process with Buckinghamshire county council. However, the council stated that "incompatibility of policies" with the pro-incineration county had "prevented full joint working".

Related links:
Milton Keynes council Northamptonshire CC
Although the unitary authority has said it is not opposed to any particular advanced thermal treatment, it considers energy-from-waste plants "high risk" in terms of planning difficulties. Previous attempts by waste firm Shanks to develop incineration capacity in Bletchley floundered amid local opposition.
Northamptonshire's cabinet has also noted that mass-burn incineration does not fit with its policies. Mechanical biological treatment has been suggested as an option, but there are concerns about finding markets for residues.

MBT plants

More bits of information on MBT plants:

1. Viridor (prospective bidders for the Cardiff Bay Plant) are putting in an application for a small "Energy from Waste" (EfW) plant at Exeter, and are being opposed by local Exeter FOE group whose counter proposal is for an MBT plant

2. Northants and Milton Keynes Councils are in process of getting together on a regional waste strategy and the report attached seems to show they do not favour EFW. (We know that nearby Norfolk and Cambridgeshire are going for MBT)3. COSTS!! Cardiff City Council report costed a EfW plant to handle 400,000 - 500,000 million (have I the figures right?) tonnes of waste at £500 million and MBT to handle equivalent amounts of waste at £800 million. A 70,000 tonnes MBT plant is to built at Falkirk at cost of £18 million. Multiply by ten and we get nowhere near £800 million. Where are those responsible for the Cardiff report getting their figures from? www.rts-ad.co.uk
I have been told that to handle 500,000 tonnes of waste, preferably three MBT plants would be needed, at total capital cost (for the three plants) of about £150 million. That information was obtained by telephone call this morning to his German parent company, who have a brand new AD plant just started up at Bremen handling about 100,000 tonnes and costing - if I heard him right - 50-60 million euros (£40 million).

Project Manager wanted for Project Greenwash!

Do you have an interest in the environment? Then this is the job for you.

Job: Project Manager Prosiect Gwyrdd (Project Green), CARDIFF COUNTY COUNCIL
Employer: CARDIFF COUNTY COUNCIL
Posted: 18 Sep 2007
Reference: TW50134981
Location: Cardiff Industry: Environment - Green,
Government - Local government, Senior Executive - Government
Contract: Permanent Hours: Full Time

Job spec
Project Manager, Prosiect Gwyrdd (Project Green)(86k)

Salary: Grade OM1 £50,049 - £55,608 (Pay Award Pending)
Employer contact details Email this job to a friend Shortlist this job
Monmouthshire County Council, Newport City Council, Caerphilly County Borough Council, Cardiff Council and the Vale of Glamorgan Council have formed a partnership to deliver a new sub regional waste strategy. The first project of the new partnership, called Prosiect Gwyrdd, is to identify and deliver a sustainable solution to the waste disposal issues which are a major challenge to the region. To lead and coordinate the project the partners need someone with significant experience of project management and highly developed interpersonal and communication skills. Drive, commitment and leadership qualities also figure highly on our ideal candidate's CV as will the ability to build a team and operate with tact and diplomacy.

An interest in the environment will be an essential backdrop to a career which may have included the public or business sectors. You must be prepared to travel extensively between the partner authorities and may often be required to work out of normal office hours. The first phase project will last for a minimum of three years with the possibility of further phases extending this period. The post will be located in Cardiff Council.
Closing Date: 5th October, 2007
Promoting Equality, Valuing Diversity www.cardiff.gov.uk/jobs Tel: (029) 2087 2087

You will find the Job Description and/or Person Specification in the related items section (top right).Operational Manager Application Form- Download the Operational Manager application form - PDF (download 64k)- Download the Operational Manager application form - Word (download 438k)- Download the Strategic Equal Opportunities Policy Statement - PDF (download 68k)- Download the Strategic Equal Opportunities Policy Statement - Word (download 46k)- Request an application through the post- Download Adobe Acrobat Reader

Alternatively, you can request a form by calling C2C (Connect to Cardiff) on 029 2087 2087.Please return the completed form by:e-mail to recruit@cardiff.gov.ukor post to Human Resources, Room 463, County Hall, Atlantic Wharf, Cardiff CF10 4UWPlease remember to quote the job reference number.

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from the council document ...
EXECUTIVE BUSINESS MEETING: 5 JULY 2007 MUNICIPAL RESIDUAL WASTE TREATMENT
Actually it is to work collaboratively with up to four other South East Wales Local authorities to develop the Outline Business case and carry out all other pre-procurement preparatory work for the proposed joint procurement of a residual waste treatment facility (Prosiect Gwyrdd),
See also LOCATING WASTE MANAGEMENT FACILITIES