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   Say NO to Green Lane Incinerator Campaign
Over 100 residents oppose waste processing and incineration plant at public forum
Over 100 local residents clashed with Sky Properties last night at a packed public meeting to discuss proposals to build a commercial waste recycling plant at the former Mitchell Shackleton site off Green Lane, at Monton. The standing room only event at Monton House Hotel had been called by Sky Properties and Salford energy company ENERGOS to explain to local residents what their plans would mean for the community. But the event threatened to boil over as the organisers were forced to ditch a technical presentation on the gasification technology and answer a barrage of questions about traffic and pollution concerns. Emotions ran high as residents repeatedly told representatives from Sky Properties that they were failing to answer their questions. The proposed plant will process nearly a quarter of a million tones of waste per year, 80,000 tonnes of which will be incinerated in a “gasification chamber”. Campaigners highlighted the health risks due to the emission of dioxins which are linked to cancer and birth defects. There were also grave concerns about Energos’ ability to run the plant safely. During one exchange with Anthony Hirsch of Sky properties about what level of traffic can be expected, one disbelieving resident said, “Going off your figures it looks as though we will get a Heavy Goods Vehicle driving through our main routes every three minutes!” Hazel Blears MP, who was in attendance, said she was very concerned to hear that the plant would create 160 HGV movements a day. She stated that Salford Council cabinet are in principle against the incinerator plan, priomarily on traffic grounds. Although supportive of the gasification technology being pioneered by Energos, she said it was the wrong place to be siting such a plant and added that she shared residents’ concerns about what kind of waste would be recycled there. “This is a commercial venture and we know the waste market is very changeable,” she said. “If the paper market falls and the market for rubber goes up will residents have to deal with noxious odours from the anaerobic process? During another presentation by Energos when a similar plant using gasification technology was shown in a tranquil setting in Stavanger, Norway, residents interjected pointing out that there were no residential houses in sight of the plant. Under questioning, the Energ-G spokesperson admitted that there were no houses within a mile radius of this plant. Other residents at the meeting included a local estate agent who said she had lost a number of house sales recently because of reports that a waste recycling plant was going to be dumped in the middle of their community. One young man, attending with his heavily pregnant partner, said their house was too small to have a baby in and they couldn’t sell it because of rumours that an incinerator was going to be built next to them. There was a stunned silence when another resident Hanif El-Qasem claimed that plans for a gasification plant on Trafford industrial estate had been rejected because the anchor tenant –Kellogg’s – had threatened to move if the plant went ahead. Energos would neither confirm or deny that this was the case. In her summing up of the event, Hazel Blears MP, said she had not met one person over the last three months who had offered any support for the venture. Speaking afterwards, campaigner Kirsteen McGarva said: “I think Sky Properties underestimated the strength and feeling of the local community about this ill-conceived plan. People were really angry and questions about traffic, emissions from the gasification process and how widely local people were being consulted were not answered properly. We are very willing to support revised plans that would benefit the local community but this current venture is not wanted and people are not going to have the wool pulled over their eyes.” Both Sky Properties and Energos were challenged on their poor health and safety history. It was revealed that Energos had been involved in a major toxic dumping scandal in Newcastle. Energos (formerly Contract Heat and power ltd) and Newcastle City Council were prosecuted for systematically dumping toxic ash from the incinerator over allotments and public footpaths between 1994 and 1998. Energos MD Nick Dawber confirmed that the company had been fined for their part in the scandal. Energos had a tough time of it recently. A proposed plant in Derby which was to use Energos technology was declined planning permission last month on environmental, traffic and aesthetic grounds. In November Mr Dawber admitted that the company had made a “pig’s ear” of their only operational UK gasification plant on the Isle of Wight. The SAY NO TO GREEN LANE INCINERATOR group was set up by local residents who created a website and facebook group which currently has 897 members and is growing daily. The website contains an online petition which people can sign. For further information contact: info@greenlaneecodump.org
To view SalfordOnline's coverage of last night's meeting click here To view Salfordonline's coverage of the first public meeting of the campaign group click here
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