The badly devised plan to bring incinerators to Wales has gone seriously over budget. Even before the contract has been awarded, taxpayers are being asked to find more yet money for a project that has already cost nearly £2Million.
Said Pippa Bartolotti, spokesperson for SNIC, “At a time when wages in Wales are in real terms going down, squeezed Local Councils are being asked to find another £415,000, to fund what appears to be a pro-incineration propaganda unit.
“The Wales Government are desperate to keep the incinerator wagon rolling, despite overcapacity in Europe, where incinerators are being closed down. This money could so easily be spent on waste reduction and packaging improvements, yet more than £1billion of Welsh taxpayers money will be directed into a dirty industry which no-one wants and may be pumping out pollutants for 30 years””
Prosiect Gwyrdd has had to extend its timeline from December 2012 to July 2013, incurring yet more costs whilst it dithers over awarding a contract to Viridor in Cardiff, who say they will build an incinerator whether or not they are awarded a contract. Newport Planning Committee have already turned down planning permission for an incinerator which was to be built near the new settlement of 4000 homes at Glan Llyn.
Expenditure on the ill-fated Prosiect Gwerdd has ballooned. Robert Hepworth, Chair of SNIC said: “Newport has already said a resounding NO to incineration in favour of Mechanical and Biological Treatment (MBT). This project has been running for over 5 years – more than enough time to do the job. I would like to know the reason for the delays, and why Prosiect Gwyrdd has the authority to commit to unfunded expenditure.”
SNIC wants the Wales Government to step back and re-think its plans for incinerators throughout Wales. New technologies are available, and the amount of waste being produced is going down year on year.
Said Pippa Bartolotti: “Incineration is now seen as harmful to recycling, and it really is the most expensive way of dealing with our landfill problem. A total rethink is required, and quickly.”