Seven North London boroughs are making new plans for waste disposal. They are looking at possible new sites for dealing with all waste in North London - household, business, and toxic waste. Of 6 proposed new sites, 4 are along the Lea Valley and two are in Waltham Forest. The Blackhorse Lane industrial estate is one of these proposed new sites. Though they are not yet definite, it is very likely the plans will include a new incinerator at one of the sites, and/or expansion of the Edmonton incinerator.
Residents Against Pollution is a campaign by local residents in the Blackhorse Lane area and others across Waltham Forest. We set up our campaign after we found out about the public consultation on the North London Waste Plan. We say:
HANDS OFF BLACKHORSE LANE! Blackhorse Lane is currently designated an industrial area for planning purposes, which is one of the reasons why it is being considered as a waste site. It is, however, also a residential area, with a higher than average proportion of children and people with limiting long-term illness. Not only that, several new, large scale, high density housing projects are under development in the near vicinity, which will make the area considerably more densly populated. Instead of improving amenities to cater for the increased population (e.g. additional parks, libraries or leisure facilities) which would help to improve the health of residents, proposals are to site a waste facility, possibly an incinerator there. Is this not at odds with the regeneration plans which were so well publicised by the council, but which now seem to have gone quiet, and which made no mention of a waste disposal site? Certainly it is difficult to see how a waste site serving all of North London fits in with the council’s plans, as described by Cllr Loakes, to make Blackhorse Lane a "thriving, more attractive part of the borough".
DON'T DUMP ON WALTHAM FOREST!The planners are looking at different sites across North London, a disproportionate number of them are in Waltham Forest. Most incinerators in the country are in poor, working class areas. Why should a densely populated area such as Waltham Forest have to deal with a huge percentage of the waste generated by seven boroughs? Why are there not proposed sites in the less densely populated, wealthier areas?
WE DON'T WANT INCINERATORS!Government policy is to encourage new incinerators to be built, they call it 'energy from waste' to sound environmentally friendly, but actually incineration is an unsafe method. It is true that there does need to be alternatives to landfill. But
NOT at the expense of our health!
High infant mortality rates and respiratory problems are linked to pollution emitted by incinerators. Studies have shown higher rates of adult and childhood cancer and birth defects. Incinerators do not solve the problem of landfill because the ash produced is 30 to 50% of the original waste volume and is buried in landfill sites. They release carbon dioxide that contributes to global warming.There are safe alternatives: various forms of composting, anaerobic digestion or gasification. 94% of public waste can be dealt with by methods other than incineration, and the remaining 6% is safer sent to controlled landfill rather than burning it. We think the profit motive should be taken out of waste disposal and investment put into re-use, recycling, waste reduction, and safe alternatives to incineration.
GIVE US A REAL SAY!In North London we are being 'consulted' on the North London Waste Plan. There has been one workshop in Waltham Forest attended by about 20 local people. The vast majority of residents know nothing about the plans. The consultation methods so far have been insufficient and very low key. The link between obtaining 'energy from waste'and the building of new incinerators has not been made clear. In the Blackhorse Lane area we set up a Residents Against Pollution campaign and 40 local people came to a meeting to object to the plans. That meeting was clear: don't dump on working class areas, no to incinerators, and we want a real say!
But since then Waltham Forest council has made decisions about how to deal with household waste. It looks like the strategy could include expanding the Edmonton incinerator. Why were we not consulted about this? How can we trust that our concerns are being taken into account about the Waste Plan, when a decision is made about strategy for household waste and we don't know about it?
Here is the full
Residents Against Pollution Statement that we have presented to councillors on your behalf.
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