WHEN deputies arrive tomorrow for the start of this month’s States meeting they are likely to face the biggest lobby on the steps of the Royal Court ever experienced by any Assembly.

It will be further evidence that mass incineration on the scale and at the cost envisaged by Suez is simply not acceptable in Guernsey.

And while there is still everything to play for – hence the deputies-only propaganda and luncheon sessions arranged yesterday and today by Suez – the likelihood is that a majority voting will again reject the energy from waste proposals from Public Services.

Where that will leave the island is anyone’s guess. The cost of backing away from Lurgi and Suez to date is an estimated £11.5m. with more to come and no progress made other than islanders’ wishes are finally being taken seriously.

Did it really take £270 per taxpayer for deputies to start listening? Or is this a case of deputies knowing best until the public clamour became too loud to ignore? Either way, members have got it wrong by not placing sufficient emphasis on public opinion or – if their earlier support for Suez was the right thing – not having the courage of their previous convictions.

What PSD’s incineration package had in its favour was guaranteed deliverability of some recycling and dealing with the island’s waste. As a classic engineer’s solution, it transferred the hassle of dealing with rubbish from PSD, would do the job, and came at a huge price.

What Deputy Scott Ogier demonstrated back in 2004, when his requete led to the defeat of Lurgi, was that mass burn was not acceptable but more waste reduction was.

Yet in no fewer than five separate subsequent decisions, the States refused to take the steps that would have meant pursuing a waste-minimisation strategy, including materials recovery, exporting to Jersey and kerbside recycling.

This is an Assembly that was largely pro-incineration and, only now that the weight of public opinion is too big to ignore, has it done a volte face, having squandered millions.

The point, however, is it is now abundantly plain that the Suez solution is not acceptable and we all need to get behind a proper minimisation strategy – without delay.