THE States has rejected spending up to £20m. on exporting waste to France. And during yesterday’s debate it put landfill firmly back on the agenda. Members voted by 30 to 13 to reject the Environment Department’s proposal aimed at buying more time at Mont Cuet while it pursues the final solution. Public Services will now look at alternative landfill sites after department members revealed that two private quarries were a possibility.

‘The Dadd independent inquiry panel suggested a five-year retention and we assumed that this was for any emergencies which our end strategy may have, like break downs,’ said Environment minister Bernard Flouquet, who abstained from voting on the policy letter.

‘The only way we could achieve what the States wanted, with regard to the five years, would have been through the export of 30,000 tonnes of waste: there was no other way to do it.’

There is an estimated eight years of landfill life left at Mont Cuet, which could be down to two by the time the final plant is up and running. Environment will, in December, bring to the House, its next report on the issue, that will include the results of its global search.

‘The probability is at this time that we will be suggesting several types of end strategy in the generic form,’ said Deputy Flouquet.

It is expected a tender process will follow the preferred generic solution. Engineers and consultants advised the department that it could take four years to get a plant up and running after the tenders are received. He believed the States wanted to see the current recycling initiatives become permanent and denied that it was losing confidence in his department’s work.

‘I can’t see how, considering they accepted the timeline we put to them in February. At every stage the board has come back to the States, so I cannot see that accusation is justified.’

A last-minute amendment by Deputy Mike Torode calling on Environment to investigate potential landfill sites was withdrawn because a law passed earlier in the meeting meant it was the responsibility of Public Services, which had already pushed Environment on the issue, and after a show of hands from members, it will now investigate possible sites as a priority.

‘We believed that whatever happened after five, six, seven or eight years at Mont Cuet, there would still be a requirement for some form of landfill: we should be planning for that now,’ said Deputy Bell.

‘We got a clear indication from the States today that it would expect us to look at possible future sites for disposal of refuse and residue, whether it be quarries, landfill or extension of landfill.’