DEPUTIES could not decide yesterday how much waste the island will produce. The States wrapped up the waste debate by throwing out consultants’ projections endorsed by the Environment Department.

It was another severe dent in the department’s report, already subjected to a successful amendment from Deputy Tom Le Pelley that allows any type of technology to tender for the contract to dispose of the island’s rubbish.

After about two years working on the report, Environment minister Bernard Flouquet admitted the outcome was very difficult to accept.

‘It’s like all these major reports any department does,’ he said. ‘The minister has to take them up and after the time you spend on them trying to understand the subject matter, you feel a bit dented – but it’s a democracy we live in,’ said Deputy Flouquet.

He was disappointed that 11th-hour amendments were placed.

‘Unfortunately, some of these amendments are not thought through appropriately and by supporting them you could find that in the fullness of time they are not deliverable,’ he said.

‘With issues like this you can’t take a fraction away from the jigsaw, put something in its place and expect it will work.’

It was a big-money issue, he added, at anything from £20m. to £100m.

‘That’s a concern I have. I know people will probably say ﾓyou would say thatﾔ, but when you spend two years of your political life with good people, a first-class officer who knows the subject better than most and independent consultants, you get a depth of feeling for the subject matter,’ he said.

‘It strikes home when someone tries to tell you they have a better philosophy than you.’

He believed a decision could be made within 15 months on what type of plant should deal with the island’s waste.

‘Now Public Services will have to go forward and put into effect what the States believes is appropriate. I’m just hoping that this will be done with some speed,’ said Deputy Flouquet.

There was a mixed message coming from the floor of the House.

An amendment from Deputy Flouquet and Deputy Lyndon Trott, which neither actually supported, asked for incineration to be ruled out.

It was defeated comprehensively.

But during debate on it, some members said that while they supported keeping the tender process open, they still would not support incineration.

Deputy Flouquet said the amendment was purely to test the appetite of the House.

And it would be bad practice to go down the route of allowing mass-burn incineration contractors to tender but using them only as a benchmark, he added.

‘I don’t support mass-burn incineration, but I, like all members of the government, will support the most viable and advantageous end solution for our waste for the next 30 years.’

The department will come back to the States in the next three months with options for projected waste production.