THE waste plant proposals are set to face challenges in the House. Public Services goes to the States at the end of the month with recommendations for eight shortlisted companies to build a plant with different technologies still on the table.
It also wants to make the final decision itself – not go back to the States. But political opposition to that recommendation is lining up, while former Environment minister David De Lisle (pictured) is working on an amendment to pursue a completely different route.
He believes building a 70,000-tonne capacity plant would be putting the cart before the horse. ‘There’s merit in concentrating on the front end of the waste stream and looking at maximising recycling before deciding how to treat the residual waste,’ said Deputy De Lisle.
‘That means working through the waste hierarchy as Defra and other bodies suggest in terms of waste prevention, reuse and recycling and composting in particular.’ Deputy De Lisle argues that 50% of what is being sent to landfill could be recycled – bringing down the amount that needs to be dealt with to around 23,000 tonnes.
He believes that Jersey’s recent decision to build an incinerator again opens up the possibility of export, even though the States has rejected this in the past
Jersey’s plant is being built to deal with 105,000 tonnes of waste annually, but to begin with will handle only 70,000 tonnes.
‘They have a gap that would accommodate our residual waste in the interim as we bring it down to 20,000-25,000 tonnes,’ said Deputy De Lisle.
‘We could do a deal with Jersey. In that way we could leave any decision on residual waste treatment to a later time. It gives us time to find out how far we can go along the waste hierarchy.’
Deputy De Lisle says an in vessel composter is needed to deal with food and green waste. He also backs kerbside recycling.
The route proposed by Public Services would cost up to £80m., he said, although it was by way of a loan.
‘They keep saying our quarry is filling up and that’s true, but take any of the technologies they are proposing and they leave 30% residue of bottom ash that has to be disposed elsewhere. It’s going to take another quarry.’
Article posted on 12th July, 2008 - 9.30am
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