Green Party welcomes incinerator planning decision

Saturday, 13 March 2010

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The Green Party has welcomed the decision by Bristol City Council to object to plans for an incinerator on Severnside.

"This is another brave and wholly commendable decision from elected representatives at the Council House, coming hot on the heels of their principled rejection of plans to build a biofuels plant on the banks of the Avon,” said Green Party candidate for Bristol West Ricky Knight.

“Incineration is the antithesis of recycling - it locks waste disposal into a contractual spiral, burning rubbish which should instead be sorted, cleaned, recycled and dealt with in an environmentally harmless way.

“Rubbish is a resource. We have the ability to increase our recycling rates so much more, given the political will - and judging by this decision, that will seems to be there.”

SITA UK Ltd had applied to the Environment Agency for a permit to allow them to operate a mass waste incineration facility at Severnside, on the shores of the Severn Estuary near Bristol.

Bristol City Council's planning committee objected to the plans earlier in the week and has forwarded its objection to South Gloucestershire County Council, within which Severnside is located.

South Gloucestershire will make the final decision on the planning application.