ALDERNEY Impot neighbours have backed moves to export the island’s waste to Guernsey on a temporary basis. But they would like to see the trial made permanent and are anxious to see a halt to open burning at the site.

June Vizard, who lives three-quarters-of-a-mile from the impot, has been plagued in the past by smoke when there have been south-easterly winds.

She is not convinced that open burning will end and said she was shocked to witness thick clouds of black smoke last Friday evening – the same day it was announced that Alderney’s municipal waste would be exported to Guernsey on a temporary basis.

‘They said they don’t leave it unattended but they locked the gates and left,’ she claimed.

And she believes that the threat of legal action should remain until burning at the Impot has stopped.

‘I will believe it when I see it – there were huge clouds of black smoke last Friday and if the wind had changed direction in the evening, the whole island would have suffered,’ she said. ‘Why are they still burning now?’

She wants to see the trial being made permanent.

‘I do think it’s the right decision, but it’s been a long time coming.

I know people are complaining in Guernsey, but I don’t know whether people realise we are Guernsey taxpayers and are the equivalent of a parish in Guernsey,’ said Mrs Vizard.

She questioned why the rates should be increased in future again and believes the less-affluent islanders could suffer financially.

‘They have made a very good job of cleaning it [the Impot site] up but still seem to be burning rubbish on the cliff. They are not using the air- curtain burner for the normal ‘black bag’ rubbish – they are using it for burning carcasses and cannabis plants,’ she alleged.

‘As long as they are carrying on burning, the threat of legal action is there. They promised us 18 months ago they would stop open burning but they are still doing it.

‘It has been better in the last six months as far as smoke pollution goes,’ she said.

Dr Trevor Davenport has lived in a house located about 300 yards from the Impot since 1976.

‘I’m totally 100% for shipping off the island,’ he said. ‘There are people in this island who will disagree, but I would permanently like to see all of our waste taken off the island and I’m prepared to pay for it in rates.’

Alderney’s rates have increased by 25% this year.

Although he believes States members have perhaps now seen the light, he questioned why they had not come up with a long-term option for the island’s waste.

He accepted that the situation there had improved recently – open burning tends to occur only when the wind is from the north.

‘In the last three or four months it’s been very good and the people in charge of the burning have tried their best.

‘Ghana is a shantytown and they are not allowed to burn plastics, but they are in Alderney. Can you believe that?’ he asked.

‘In this day and age we are producing more and more plastic and it just could not go on as it was. I have very serious doubts if we do any incineration – it could create as much trouble as it’s going to solve.

‘I’m very pleased they will ship it [waste] off and hope it works out permanently. I would rather see my rates go up to ship it out than to buy an incinerator,’ said Dr Davenport.

The doctor of geochemistry and mining geology believes burning plastics could be carcinogenic.

Many islanders want to see an

end to the heavily criticised open burning of ‘black bag’ waste at the site.

‘I’m sure that if the public had not stood up for it, I don’t know where we would be and there would still be open burning,’ he said.

He suggested the potential smell and toxic fumes from the air curtain burner could be even worse than open burning.

Compacted waste could be shipped weekly within three months, it was announced last week.

Guernsey’s Public Services Department has laid down strict trial conditions to Alderney’s authorities.