Following publication of the National Society of Clean Air report today that described health risks from incineration as “negligible”, the Minister said: “We need incineration to meet the targets of the waste strategy. The strategy cannot be achieved exclusively by composting and recycling.”
While conceding that “an increase in energy from waste is inevitable”, Mr Meacher recognised concerns that energy from waste could crowd out recycling and composting. “Incinerators must not displace recycling. No stone must be left unturned in the search for ways to increase recycling. People are most concerned about the impact of emissions from incinerators on human health and so am I but there is absolutely no risk-free waste management option.”
The Minister acknowledged that there are problems with winning support and planning permission for incinerators and said the key to delivering integrated waste management solutions is to tackle them on a local level. He advised that solutions should see recycling development at a fast pace and that this might help win support for incinerators. And, he advised that incinerators should take waste from the local area: “they have to be the right size for the community.”
Pathetic
The Minister slammed the UK's recycling figures as “pathetic” and said they must be increased dramatically. He said that local authorities have no excuse not to meet the waste strategy targets as he believed there was sufficient money for them to be met and that work was being done to look at markets.
But he did say that to meet these targets was a big challenge.
“The growing mountain of waste has gone unchallenged for too long. The key priority in this country is to reduce the amount of waste we produce.”
Commenting on the current recycling rate, which he put at 11%, he said: “The recycling rate in this country is extremely low by comparison with other European countries. It is pathetic and has to be increased dramatically.”
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