Incinerator: What is the alternative?


29 April 2006 10:38

Campaigners against plans for a waste incinerator on the outskirts of Norwich today ruled out alternative waste treatment technologies which have been championed in other parts of the country.

Leicester City is among councils which have progressed, or are progressing, with plans for mechanical biological treatment (MBT) processes for waste.

Councils in Milton Keynes and Lancashire are also considering forms of MBT which are seen by some as more environmentally sound and safer than incineration.

However, environmentalists today said these forms of treatment produced refuse-derived fuel (RDF), which they said was damaging to the environment and little better than mass burn incinerators.

They claimed there were other hi-tech MBT processes involving anaerobic digestion which were far cleaner and ultimately cheaper than incineration already up and running in Germany and Italy.

The campaigners' calls come after Norfolk County Council agreed Waste Recycling Group could develop its plans for a

£90 million plant at Costessey's Longwater Industrial Estate.

Councillors narrowly voted in favour of WRG's bid against that of Sustainable Resource Management (SRM), which wants to build an MBT plant combining anaerobic digestion.

Advocates for incineration claim it is a safe, clean and effective way of dealing with waste, while opponents claim it is a disincentive to recycling and dangerous to humans and environmental health.

In Leicester, which has an anti-incineration policy, an MBT plant has been built using ball mill technology which divides rubbish into ferrous and non-metals, paper and plastics and organics.

Where the organics are composted using anaerobic and aerobics methods the paper and plastic is converted into RDF.

Adrian Russell, Leicester City Council's service director for waste matters, said: “We are against incineration of waste, but for certain fractions that cannot be recycled or reused, creating an alternative fuel to fossil fuels we see as an better alternative to landfill.” But Jennifer Parkhouse, of Norwich Friends of the Earth and Norfolk Against Incineration and Landfill (NAIL2), said there was little difference between mass-burn in incineration and RDF.

“This is not the case of one being the lesser evil - both are forms of incineration and should not be used,” she said. “The only form of MBT Friends of the Earth is in favour of is that which uses anaerobic digestion as the final process and does not produce RDF.”

Ms Parkhouse added that SRM's bid also included RDF production: “Their proposal is one which we could support so long as they get rid of the RDF element, which I believe is something they are willing to think about very seriously.”

However, Tim East, county councillor for Costessey, said he wanted the council to reverse its decision and make SRM the preferred bidder.

“Incineration might well be the cheapest option, but it is also the most damaging both to the environment and to people's health,” he said. “The alternative bid by SRM was a far better alternative, particularly if it was tacked on to NEWS recycling plant at Costessey.

“You would have the entire waste treatment operation in one area which is not a threat to people or the environment. Why the county council ever went for the incinerator I will never know.”

MBT: What is it?

Mechanical and biological treatment (MBT) is a process where waste is sorted into materials which can be recycled and those which can be composted, rather than just thrown into landfill.

The rubbish that can be composted is dried out and kept in special pressure chambers so no smells escape

This composted waste can be used as fuel, known as RDF or refused-derived fuel, or sent to landfill.

Advantages of MBT:

*proven technology for large volumes of residual waste; reduces the volume of waste and thereby the landfill void space taken and the cost to the local authority of disposal

*reduces emissions of gas, leachate, vermin, odour and on site litter; reduces the production of methane

Potential disadvantages:

*MBT plants with long contracts will tie the hands of local authorities;

*Although the biodegradability of the waste is reduced it still may not be classed as inert

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