CAMPAIGNERS are hitting back at new plans to dump 180,000 extra tonnes of waste on Ince Marshes.
Plans to change an environmental permit for Covanta Energy’s incinerator in Ince Resource and Recovery Park, Ince, would see 180,000 extra tonnes of commercial and industrial waste transported from all over the country to the site.
The original permit allowed a maximum of 670,000 tonnes of waste per year, but if approved the new plans could see 850,000 tonnes of waste, including cemetery and street cleaning waste, burnt in the incinerator.
Now outraged campaigners have slated developers, who they say are transforming their landscape into a ‘dumping ground’ for the nation’s waste.
Residents and campaigners across Frodsham, Helsby, Ince, Elton and Hapsford are calling on Covanta to disclose information after fears the waste would come from across Europe, clogging up roads.
Cheshire Anti Incineration Network (CHAIN) chairman Brian Cartwright said the combination of all the incinerators in the area would mean there would be about 2.6million tonnes of waste being ‘dumped’ within a 15-mile radius.
“All of this waste has to come from somewhere,” said Mr Cartwright.
“They cannot possibly bring all this waste in by rail, a large amount of it will have to be brought in on our roads.
“They need to let us know where they are getting all of this waste from, it cannot just be from the local area. We are going to become the dumping ground for the whole of England, and this idea naturally frightens me.
“If this waste is coming in on the canal it could be coming from anywhere in Europe.”
Mr Cartwright also raised concerns Covanta’s plans to change the technology of the incinerator from a fluidised bed to an air-cooled moving grate were more dangerous and would release more toxins into the environment.
Helsby parish councillor Sarah Temple, a member of the Ince park Community Forum, called for Covanta to disclose where the waste would be coming from and said the air-monitoring conditions would go some way to reassure residents.
“We need to ask for a condition that Covanta will not be able to bring in waste from outside the UK, that will give us more information about what is happening on the site,” said Cllr Temple.
