Monday, August 30, 2010

Prosiect Gwyrdd - the truth rigged for incineration

Prosiect Gwyrdd is a joint project between 5 Councils who chose incineration for dealing with domestic waste. They dressed it up with the name “Gwyrdd – Green” and began asserting “technology neutral”.  WAG made a ‘freudian slip’ when they welcomed the “energy-from-waste” project in January 2009 *.

Background to the choice was the pro-incineration drive in WAG (contrary to declared policy of minimising landfill and incineration) that promised financial support only if Councils would form partnerships – so that their waste totalled enough to fuel an incinerator. Cardiff was pursuing a 300-400 000 t/yr incinerator to meet “requirements of the wider region”.  Viridor then weighed in with 500 000 t/yr
Battle lines drawn over £150m Cardiff incinerator    LetsRecycle  15-06-2007
www.letsrecycle.com/do/ecco.py/view_item?listid=37&listcatid=217&listitemid=8850

WAG helped fund P Gwyrdd’s office and staff under the “Capital Access Fund” (70% of costs up to £200k for each of 2007 and 2008), but also set recycling targets and talked of limiting incineration to 25% (as Scotland , then WAG increased ours to 30% and now effectively 35% with no justification).

Under this pressure, P Gwyrdd decided their ‘residual’ waste will be 220 000t/yr and used the WRATE computer programme to show that an incinerator was ‘best’. Getting the result they wanted, they didn’t ask if it’s sound and ‘robust’
* others use WRATE and find MBT scores better - it depends on assumptions, eg. all incinerator ash is used for construction and no MBT outputs used for land reclamation (both invalid in English projects)  MBT covers various Mechanical and Bio treatments, including composting.
* a leading consultant using ATROPOS instead of WRATE finds incineration scores poorly compared with gasification and MBT options.

P Gwyrdd dismissed all criticisms, with the promise from WAG for subsidy to make incineration “affordable”.  WAG-sponsored consultants, including the PFI-promoting group “PartnershipsUK” were used to push it through.
KEY POINTS in PG PLAN● the only Reference Project in PG's plan is a single mega-incinerator.  They have designed financing and a 25-year contract for such a incinerator at an incredible £1100 million. 

● Cardiff and other local authorities in P Gwyrdd are aiming for only 65-70% recycling and composting. They are putting this off till 2025, evidently in order to have enough waste to feed their incinerator.

● They say PG is for 'residual' waste after "maximum recycling and composting";  this is false for the Welsh Local Authorities' consultants' report** says they can get 80-90% recycling and composting.

HOW DID THEY FUDGE CHOICE OF INCINERATION
1. used the WRATE assessment tool, which is systematically biased against low-tech mechanical and bio processes (FOE Cymru report,www.assemblywales.org/wm_24_-_friends_of_the_earth_cymru.pdf)

2. set no requirement for use of the heat output – the majority of energy from an incinerator.  Thus Viridor propose to generate 20MW (megawatts) electricity and waste 50MW heat.  As no incinerators in the UK use much heat (except the Sheffield, Nottingham and Lerwick district heating schemes), a requirement for high energy efficiency as under European law would scupper their incinerator.

3. pretend that the grate ash – which is toxic and often hazardous waste – can all be used in building, instead of  having to go to landfill as happens in England;  ignoring the proximity principle requirement for the hazardous flyash to be disposed of in SE Wales, where no disposal ‘facility’ exists.

4. refused to update their assessment for shrinking waste tonnages - PG assumed growth in waste up to 3% /yr, ignoring the last few years when municipal waste has reduced by around 1% /yr. 
--------------

IRRESPONSIBLE REFUSAL TO REVIEW THE MEGA-PROJECT
● Newport ’s chief officer said in discussion they couldn’t reduce the 220 000 tonnes/yr target (35% of the waste stream with 17.5% increase over 2006), as the incinerator would not be viable.  Their prospectus (Nov.2009) instead took 160 000 t/yr and PG talk of increasing population to cancel out decreases in waste.
FOE demanded a reassessment on the reduced figures before going to procurement, but they refused – it was evident from simple scaling of their figures that the financial case for the incinerator would vanish if recalculated, just as chief officer Stephen Davison said.

● PG has no fall-back plan for if the mega-project collapses – all the smaller-scale companies and not-for-profit businesses (eg. Newport Wastesavers) with innovative projects have been scared off and Councils will be left to catch up on their own.

PRETENCE THAT PG WILL SURVIVE THE CREDIT CRUNCH
●  banking costs have jumped up since the Credit Crunch, so PG hope to get Euro Investment Bank or Prudential Borrowing support, both of which are restricted to ‘sustainable’ developments.  As they will probably fail, we’ll be landed with high bank charges typical of PFI.

●  £9 million/yr subsidy. The PartnershipsUK group that promotes PFIs arranged WAG funding of £9.124 million/yr (27 Apr 2009 e-mail to Tara King of PG).  They say it’s not ‘PBFOM’ not PFI, but is likely to fall back to PFI as pointed out above.


* WAG Press Release
**  Eunomia Report

Friday, August 27, 2010

Prosiect Gwyrdd/Incinerator Ian Lloyd-Davies threats

Prosiect Gwyrdd/Incinerator Ian Lloyd-Davies ticks me off and threatens to report me!!!
Dear Anne, he writes...
Please can you correct the consistent inaccuracies in your blog, www.prosiectgwyrdd.com ? The roadshow was not an ‘incinerator roadshow’. It was a roadshow to explain the possible options that may be available from the market place, explaining markets and outputs of each process, providing information on the procurement process and providing an opportunity for the public to ask questions on the project.
You were there to campaign against one technology, incineration, and staff were on hand to respond to your questions on that technology.
As previously explained Prosiect Gwyrdd is technology neutral and will assess all bids made against agreed criteria.
With regards to your comments on dioxin emissions we accept there are a number of reports regarding the effects and sources of dioxins that are available, the report you are quoting from, while being written in 2007 is based on 1999 data, where as the report we discussed on Tuesday is also a 2007 report that is based on Defra report from 2004, stating "traffic accounts for 3% of dioxins where as MSW incineration accounts for less than 1%, which is available from attached link: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/statistics/health.htm
Staff made it clear that you need to address your questions relating to regulation of any residual waste treatment technologies to the correct agencies.
Specific questions relating to emissions resulting from any residual waste treatment solution should be addressed to the agencies that regulate these processes.
Given the information that has been given to you in this email, please can you remove the inaccuracies in your blog immediately? Also, please can you remove my name from your blog, If you wish to attribute material to me, then it should be in the name of a ‘Prosiect Gwyrdd spokesman said:
I have written the Editor of the Echo to explain the full context of what I said in relation to the, ‘there is no perfect solution’ comment and I wait to hear from them and have this corrected.
...you said that to me? changed your mind??
The project appreciates that you have your views and welcomes discussion but it is very important that you present information correctly and in a factually accurate way. As the information on your blog has been subject to an editorial decision-making process, if this request isn’t actioned then I will have little option that to report this matter to the Press Complaints Commission.
Kind Regards, Ian Lloyd-Davies.

Actually we were campaigning FOR an environmentally sound solution! I am not sure what explaining markets means? Prosiect Gwyrdd is NOT technology neutral as claimed as the process is bias towards incineration which is obvious from the calibre of the companies the project has chosen to give "The invitation to participate in dialogue"!*** A quick google will inform readers that these 'chosen' companies are or have been vehemently opposed elsewhere for wanting to build INCINERATORS! So where are the options and incinerator or an incinerator at the bottom of the waste hierarchy? Landfill in the sky is not a solution!
Read the information about the chosed bidders that Prosiect Gwyrdd doesnt give the public!


TPD has been issued to the successful companies below (in alphabetical order):
1. Covanta Energy Ltd - http://covantaenergy.co.uk/
No Coventa incinerator
 CHAIN no to Coventa in Cheshire
The Facebook page for residents against the Covanta Incinerator at Stewartby
2.  MVV Umwelt Gmbh - www.mvv-environment.co.uk
ampaign against http://www.ernesettle.org.uk/
Plans for an incinerator at Ernesettle have been dropped by MVV UMWELT
3. Shanks Group PLC/Wheelabrator Technologies Inc -
Lincolnshire Anti-Incineration Alliance (LAIA) •
http://www.shanks.co.uk/ http://www.wheelabratortechnologies.co.uk/
4. SITA UK Ltd - http://www.sita.co.uk
Suffolk Against Incineration and Landfill (SAIL) and Mid Suffolk FoE
Bristol Greens urge objections to waste incinerator plan
Bristol24-7 4 Mar 2010 ... SITA UK Ltd has applied to the Environment Agency for a permit to allow them ... “Waste incineration encourages councils not to bother with ...
www.bristol247.com/.../greens-urge-objections-to-waste-incinerator-plan/
5. Urbaser Ltd - http://www.urbaser.es/en/en_index.htm
http://www.cracin.co.uk/news.html
Essex FoE / Essex Green Party
6. Veolia ES Aurora Ltd - http://www.veoliaenvironmentalservices.co.uk
Swansea ban Veolia · UK Without Incineration Network
15 Jul 2010 ... Other authorities have discontinued contracts with Veolia, but have not specified this reason. Swansea City Council is therefore leading the ..
Rainworth Incinerator Campaign People Against Incineration PAIN ...relating to the Rainworth Incinerator. Veolia tried to prevent us from seeing the PFI
7. Waste Recycling Group Ltd - http://www.wrg.co.uk
Oxford FoE · UK Without Incineration Network
This is great news for Oxfordshire. WRG could not convince councillors that they would properly seal off any hazardous waste before it was transported for ...
8• Viridor Waste Management Limited - http://www.viridor.co.uk
People and parties joined to object against Viridor's New England ...
14 Mar 2010 ... Ivybridge galvanised to object to Viridor incinerator .... is part of the not- for-profit media social enterprise News and Media Republic. ...

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Project 'Gwyrdd'/Incinerator spin

 The Project 'Gwyrdd'/Project Green  Incinerator roadshow protest went very well on Tuesday in Cardiff (see more action and news coverage below) - people were very keen to hear what we had to say and learn the facts. The roadshow is led by an ex journalist  turned PR person Ian since 9 months ago actually 'a twist the facts' bloke' to convince the public that incineration is 'green'. However he could not compete with our scientists! He was desperately waving around proof   emmm documents written and paid by the incinerator industry to prove incineration was great! Ian the Prosiect 'Gwyrdd' incinerator Spin bloke was telling us on Tuesday that cars put out more dioxins than incineration does. It turns out this is incredibly false.

The Environment Agency reported in 2007 ("UK Soil and Herbage Pollutant Survey") that transport generates 1% of the UK's dioxin output, while incineration contributes *eleven* percent. Incineration remains the biggest single contributor to dioxins other than accidents (house fires).

Communications officer Spin bloke Ian Lloyd-Davies, Prosiect Gwyrdd Incinerator said the scheme is a “low-carbon” solution to dealing with waste and reduce the amount set to landfill. When asked about the environmental impact of the proposed incinerators, he said there is “no perfect solution"  - couldn't make it up!
Protest over incinerator plans WalesOnline - ‎Eight companies have been invited to bid for the contract to process non-recyclable waste from around South Wales as part of Prosiect Gwyrdd.

Other events are planned following the Prosiect Gwyrdd/Project Green roadshows:


TOMORROW August 26 Penarth, Outside the Pier, 11am-2pm
September 2 Cattle Market car park, bottom of Monnow Street, Monmouth, 11am-2pm
September 4 Twyn car park, Caerphilly Town Centre, 11am-2pm
September 7 John Frost Square, Newport City Centre, 11am-2pm
Cardiff against incineration is a member of   http://ukwin.org.uk 
Petition: Cardiff Against the Incinerator
http://tinyurl.com/ cardiffburner....

Monday, August 23, 2010

tell Prosiect Gwyrdd/project Green NO2 Viridor incinerator

Join us tomorrow  Tuesday 24th august in Queen Street Carifff from 11am to tell Prosiect Gwyrdd/project Green that Viridor incinerator is not GREEN

Petitons to sign first   to WAG and 2. http://petitions.tigweb.org/cardiffincinerator

Huge Public meeting Tuesday, August 31, 2010 at 7:00pm
Splott Sport & Social Club, Cardiff, United Kingdom .

Read also ADAMSTOWN against the incinerator http://www.adamsdown.org/splottincinerator

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Cardiff AGAINST THE INCINERATOR

Protest at the Protest at the evironment Agency Offices 29 Newport Road
Cardiff City Centre Thursday 12 August 12 Noon-2pm Bring Banners,
Placards and Friends Environment Agency Offices 29 Newport Road Cardiff City Centre
Thursday 12 August 12 Noon-2pm Bring Banners, Placards and Friends

Viridor Waste Management plan to build a rubbish incinerator in the heart of Cardiff. The
Environment Agency can stop it with the stroke of a pen. But the EA side with big
business more than they side with the needs of the average person. We need to stand
together and demand the Environment Agency to do their job!

Areas of Cardiff already have dangerously poor air quality. The Stephenson Court area,
just a few feet from the Environment Agency's offices, is about to be declared an "Air Quality
Management Area" due to hazardous concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2).
The Environment Agency admit they've simply missed this in building their report on the
incinerator. The operation of Viridor's incinerator would worsen an already-poor environmental
situation. If the Environment Agency is missing so many obvious ways an incinerator would be
bad for public health in Cardiff, we have a duty to our fellow residents to take our message
straight to the Environment Agency, and to build a campaign and say No to the Cardiff
Incinerator!
Dangerous air quality
Cancer-causing chemicals
Incinerators cause cancer. Independent scientific evidence is overwhelming, with
dozens of studies from around the world showing again and again a clear link between
living near an incinerator and a higher risk of liver cancer, stomach cancer and lymphoma, it
is reckless to build a rubbish incinerator anywhere near a residential area.

But the Environmental Agency aren't listening to independent scientists. Instead, they're
trusting Viridor's own reports and outdated, cherry-picked government summaries.
Viridor Waste Management plan to build a rubbish incinerator in the heart of Cardiff. The
Environment Agency can stop it with the stroke of a pen. But the EA side with big
business more than they side with the needs of the average person. We need to stand
together and demand the Environment Agency to do their job!
 
Splott Incinerator


Green Party backs campaign against Splott Incinerator Matt Townsend syas...

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Splott Incinerator - effect on house prices

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A Brief History of the Splott Incinerator

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