Campaigners have written to the Scottish Government urging them to use their powers to stop the development of three incinerators that otherwise will be built, despite Ministers banning new incinerators in 2022.
Local community groups and environmental campaigners have written to Lorna Slater, Minister for the Circular Economy, calling for the Scottish Government to “close this gaping loophole” and immediately stop plans for unnecessary incinerators being built in Scotland.
In 2022, the Scottish Government banned plans for new incinerators after an independent review found that Scotland will have more capacity to manage waste than there is waste to burn by 2027. However, incinerators that had planning approval before the ban came into force were not included in the ban.
There are at least three incinerators (Avondale Energy from Waste in Falkirk; Inverurie in Aberdeenshire; and Levenseat 2 in South Lanarkshire) that have planning permission but have not yet entered construction. If they were built they will create unnecessary and harmful emissions which will put the Scottish Government’s climate and recycling agendas at risk.
The letter asks the Scottish Government to use its powers under the Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) Regulations to direct the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) to refuse to award permits to new incinerators. Without these permits, the incinerators are not allowed to operate.
As well as burning valuable resources, incinerators contribute to climate breakdown by emitting greenhouse gases from the waste they burn. On average, burning one tonne of waste emits one tonne of CO2 directly into the atmosphere.
John Young from the Dovesdale Action Group, who successfully campaigned against incineration plans in South Lanarkshire, said: “Whilst we endure a climate emergency, nationally we are not on target to meet our commitments to reduce emissions or increase household recycling.
“Plans for new incinerators hinder our ability to meet these targets. Burning our resources does not support the national agenda for a circular economy, nor does it recognise the impact on communities and the environment. If we are to reduce the impact of waste, we need to stop polluting our air with greenhouse gases and transform the waste industry for the benefit of the people, not shareholders.”
Dr Ronald Parr, local activist concerned about the planned incinerator in Inverurie, said: “The Inverurie incinerator is redundant before it even opens. If it is built, the North East of Scotland will struggle with two large incinerators just 15 miles apart.”
Kim Pratt, circular economy campaigner at Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: “If all the incinerators that have planning permission were built, Scotland would have more capacity than there is waste to burn in four years time.
“Plans to build unnecessary incinerators must be rapidly reversed. The Scottish Government has the power to do this by directing SEPA to refuse permits, and they must use it.
“Incinerators are a terrible way of getting rid of waste – burning resources means we can’t reuse them and burning plastic releases carbon into the atmosphere, contributing to climate breakdown.”
Shlomo Dowen, National Coordinator of UKWIN, said: “Scotland has a great vision to move towards a more circular economy, and that means less incineration and more reduction, reuse and recycling of waste.
“However, this greener future is put at risk by incineration overcapacity because once built these burners will need to be provided with a constant supply of waste. The Scottish Government needs to act urgently to close this gaping loophole in their incineration moratorium before it is too late.”
The three incinerator plants which have obtained planning permission prior to the ban but have not yet begun construction or obtained a permit are: Avondale Energy from Waste in Falkirk; Inverurie in Aberdeen; and Levenseat 2 in South Lanarkshire. The Glenfarg incinerator in Perthshire and Oldhall incinerator in North Ayrshire are believed to be in the early construction stages and do not have permits.
The local community groups and environmental groups who have written the joint letter to the Scottish Government are:
Community Groups and individuals:
Ayrshire Against Incineration Group
Badenoch & Strathspey Conservation Group
Dovesdale Action Group
Friends of the Earth Falkirk
Friends of the Earth Inverness and Ross
Irvine Without Incinerators
Environmental Groups:
Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland
Friends of the Earth Scotland
UK Without Incineration Network (UKWIN)
Full letter to the Scottish Government:
https://scot.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5ad0d61b2a67d22c68bf7d8d&id=577a4fa164&e=195fc3d780
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