WAG Spin!!! Greenwash!!!
Re. Wales plans for energy self-sufficiency with renewables in 20 years
Wales becoming the land of spin
How do the boasts about 'green' waste and carbon targets (Guardian 22 May) square with the Welsh government support for the largest waste incinerator in Europe – the proposal by US giant Covanta for a 600 000 tonne/year incinerator at Merthyr Tydfil?
Such an incinerator is to produce “renewable” electricity and to be sited far from any significant use of its heat (wastes 75% of its energy). Second, its 200 000 tonne/year of ash are to be used as building aggregate and defined as “recycling”.
The Welsh government will try and get round the toxicity testing that forces much of such ash to be classed as hazardous waste. Any that is hazardous, including the 10 000 tonne/year flyash, will be sent for dumping in England, as there are no hazardous waste dumps in Wales.
The small print of their waste plan says the recycling target will not be 70% but 63% by including the incinerator ash, a re-definition of recycling that's special to Wales**.
The new gas-fired power station at Pembroke (huge, 2000 megwatt) will be defined as supplying electricity to England, so not counted. The CO2 from the new biomass power station at Port Talbot (world's largest, 350 megawatt) will not be counted, though burning imported wood waste from non-sustainable forestry and emitting much carbon in transport.
How do you claim Wales is in advance on renewable energy, when Scotland is forging ahead? They have detailed proposals for heat, hydropower and marine currents, with big plans for Pentland Firth, while in Wales we get 'taffy' talk. Go to the Scottish Renewables Festival in Edinburgh mid-June to smell some action!
It’s 18 months since the Welsh Minister proposed increasing recycling to 70%, which the best European areas already achieve. Consultants Eunomia advised 80% or more – but the Minister laughably reduced the target to 63% and deferred it till 2025. The reason is – the policy is driven by a decision to build waste incinerators, spun as high efficiency, green and clean. Wales is shamed by the resort to sustained spin!
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Max Wallis
Friends of the Earth SE Wales waste Network
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