In a separate venture, Wharf Land Investments is attempting to install a 30,000 tonne-a-year capacity IVC facility on the site of what used to be the Wisley Airfield, less than a mile from the RHS garden.
The Society is challenging both applications, made to Surrey county council and Guildford borough council, under the Waste Framework Directive article regarding risk to plants. The RHS is concerned about the effect of wind-borne pathogens, which it said are released during the composting process, spreading diseases to its show-garden. It said research by consultancy firm, Environ, indicated that the facilities could cause “significant risk to plant health”.
It is worried that the commercial facilities could have a detrimental impact on the 30,000 plants in the garden, which include 600 species that are at risk of extinction.
However, both The Composting Company, which is based in Suffolk,
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