Councillors come under fire after waste plant meeting (From Northwich Guardian)
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Councillors come under fire after waste plant meeting
6:00pm Wednesday 21st September 2011 in News
A NORTHWICH man has expressed his ‘disgust’ at the lack of council representation at a meeting to discuss plans for a energy from waste plant.
Campaign groups Stop Incineration in Disguise (SID) and Cheshire Anti Incinerator Network (CHAIN) teamed up for a public event on September 15 to discuss an application for a sustainable energy plant in Lostock Gralam, submitted by Tata Chemicals Europe.
The plans will be decided at a public inquiry on October 11 after they were given the thumbs down by Cheshire West and Chester’s strategic planning committee in February.
Both town councillors and borough councillors came under fire from pensioner Harry Rea, of Bowden Drive, who spoke of his disappointment at the lack of representation at the meeting.
The 71-year-old said: “I have got to express my disgust that some of the councillors weren’t there.
“Some of the former councillors as well, they weren’t there to show any support to the people that are fighting against this incinerator.
“Every meeting I have been to I have never seen them.
“For the inquiry, we want to get bums on seats and get down to sort it out.
“I have got a six-week-old great grandchild and I feel like taking him to the inquiry .
“These are the people we are fighting for, who won’t get a say in these matters.”
Harry also called on young parents to show their opposition to the plans.
“It looked like an old fogies home when I arrived at the meeting,” he said.
“What will happen in 20 or 30 years time? We won’t be there to say I told you so.”
Clr Malcolm Byram and Clr Lynn Riley did attend the meeting.
SID member Kenton Barker said: “I was slightly disappointed at the turnout from CWAC however it was good to see that Clr Lynn Riley who is the portfolio holder for this area, so that was a positive.
“Professor Connett gave a very interesting and entertaining talk about some very serious issues and helped reinforced the message that SID has been trying to get across for the last 12 to 18 months, this being waste used as a resource and trying to encourage innovative ways of recycling and reusing.”
He added: “When the inquiry comes we need to encourage as many people as possible to attend.
“Even if its during their lunch hour or if they have 20 minutes spare during the day, people can turn up and show the inquiry how important it is to the residents of Northwich this issue is.”
Liam Byrne, CHAIN member, added: “Prof Connett was scathing about the TATA incinerator plan and urged local people to do what they could to oppose it.
“He warned that if it does get built that Northwich would become known as Waste Town .
“The Professor ended his session with the slogan 'God Recycles, the Devil Burns' and leading the meeting in a spirited rendition of ' We don't want Incineration' to the tune of 'Battle Hymn of the Republic’.”
Comments(2)
Dot Gamble
says...
3:38pm Mon 26 Sep 11
Tata's personnel continue to tell us that the toxic emissions from both the incinerator and the 264 HGV's (that is Tata's figure) per day are negligible. I can tell you categorically that there is not enough evidence in the case of children to state what the effects on their health will be but I do know that the incidences of illnesses like asthma and childhood leukaemia are rising. I also know that traffic, especially diesel driven traffic emissions have the potential to cause adverse health effects especially in children. Tata will also require oil to service the incinerator which will also necessitate HGV's to bring it in. This is in addition to the 264 that they will need to bring in the waste in the first place and this is per day. 365 days per year for approximately 30 years.
If you think this will have an adverse effect on you and your children (and their children) then you need to be present at the Public Inquiry on the 11th October 2011. Traffic exhaust contains the nanoparticles that are so dangerous to health that Hibernian has mentioned in his post and which Professor Connett spoke about in his presentation. They will also be present in the stack emissions from the incinerator.
I leave you to decide whether you want this incinerator for a neighbour. It will be too late to decide you do not want it once you have got it.
Hibernian says...
2:40pm Thu 22 Sep 11