The occupation of the Basingstoke incinerator ended this morning at 10.15am when aerial bailiffs removed the last of the five remaining activists from a cargo net suspended from the roof of the building. The 100 strong invasion by Greenpeace and other anti-incinerator groups from across Britain began on Monday morning and stopped building work at the plant for three days.
Greenpeace campaigner Mark Strutt said this morning: "The authorities may be able to physically remove us from incinerator sites but they can't stop the wave of public opposition to these poisonous plants. Anti-incinerator groups from across the country took part in this protest and we believe there will be many more. The government is wrong if it thinks it can press ahead on the quiet with its plans for 43 new incinerators. People will not stand for it."
If it is allowed to start burning household rubbish the new incinerator, due to open in October, will emit large quantities of dioxin chemicals that get into the food chain and cause cancer. The Government recently warned that a third of UK adults and half of Britain's babies and toddlers take in more dioxins than is safe.
Further information:
Contact:
Greenpeace press office on 020 7865 8255
