WASTE requete leader Scott Ogier remains convinced the island avoided an ‘unfortunate scenario’ in rejecting plans for an incinerator. Treasury minister Lyndon Trott believes that following the advice of the panel of inquiry, which was formed on the back the requete, could be the most costly mistake Guernsey has made in a generation.

But his comments brought a rebuff from panel chairman Roger Dadd, who defended the content of its report.

The Environment Department is set to come to the House in December with a report on the generic options for a waste solution after the House rejected the one of export to France in the short-term.

‘By voting against export, the House has closed down one method of increasing our flexibility, but it isn’t a disaster – it just means we are going to have to pull our fingers out to get this sorted,’ said Deputy Ogier.

‘The world is changing. I cannot see that in 15 years’ time we will still be throwing plastic, paper and cardboard into incinerators anywhere. I believe our incinerator would have had to be written off long before it had paid for itself.’

He was in no doubt that an £80m. 70,000 tonne mass-burn incinerator was not the way forward.

‘I remain convinced Guernsey has avoided an unfortunate scenario.

‘Our waste was predicted to be rising annually. Instead, we have seen around a 10,000 drop from the 58,000 tonnes of waste and that is without tackling the major areas of waste such as commercial and the amount of wood going to the tip.’

That meant there was still more work to be done, he added.

‘Recycling on the scale we have currently and on the scale that islanders want would not have been compatible with the proposed incinerator.

‘We are heading in the right direction: slimming our waste stream down, removing the recyclables, removing anything that can be reused so the eventual remaining waste requiring disposal will be considerably smaller and the resultant plant that may be required will be smaller, too.’