AN AGENT working for the city of Hamburg has offered to take Guernsey’s household waste for incineration. The shock offer was revealed in the States yesterday by Deputy Charles Parkinson. But senior ministers, who knew nothing about the deal, were angry that the offer was raised only yesterday – in letters dated 8 June.

Swiss-based Mindest SA claimed to be nominated by the north German city to supply household waste for incineration.

It offered, in letters addressed to the Environment and Treasury and Resources ministers, to take local waste for up to 10 years at less than 200 euros a ton.

‘The first time I saw that letter was when I was handed a copy by Charles Parkinson earlier today,’ said Environment minister Bernard Flouquet, who looks almost certain to see the States’ vote for energy-from-waste, made last year, rejected by the new House this morning.

Treasury minister Lyndon Trott was also critical, but Deputy Parkinson, deputy minister at Treasury, said that the offer needed exploring.

‘When I received the letter I had never heard of the company and had no information about its connection with Hamburg, so I did not know how much credibility to place on it,’ he said.

He raised it with States project consultant Juniper on Tuesday.

When the company’s spokesman confirmed he was aware of Mindest, Deputy Parkinson decided to act.

‘Really, the interesting question would be to go back to these people and get confirmation of the points raised,’ he said.

The debate on Deputy Scott Ogier’s requete will conclude early today.

Deputies Flouquet and Ogier have only to sum up before the final vote, which appears to be swinging towards the requete.

If it succeeds, the £80m. deal struck for the development of an incinerator at Longue Hougue will fall.

The Policy Council will have to establish an independent panel of inquiry to examine the waste-disposal issue and report back to the council by the end of the year.

Deputy Ogier claimed in debate that the Environment Department’s own experts had told him, off the record, that the island’s best option was to ship its waste out and buy more time.

Joe Schwager, Juniper’s representative on the Guernsey project, said last night that he had never spoken with Deputy Ogier.

‘Our position is definitely not that delaying is the best solution,’ said Mr Schwager.

‘We didn’t take the position on the best solution; we were just pointing out that there had been no significant change since the last report.’