Three Greenpeace volunteers were today (2nd December 2002) acquitted of criminal damage for painting the words 'toxic crime' on the chimney of Sheffield incinerator. The jury convicted the three of a second charge of criminal damage to a door at the base of the chimney. The verdicts followed a direction to the jury from the judge Mr Justice Bentley, which deprived the volunteers of their defence. The defendants are considering appealing against the judges' summing up.
The volunteers had gone on trial on the 26th November at Sheffield Crown Court for shutting down the Sheffield Waste Incinerator on 22nd May 2001 after it was identified as the worst incinerator in England. The volunteers scaled the 75-metre chimney and capped its flues as part of a Greenpeace action to close the plant. The three also painted 'Toxic Crime' on the chimney to alert the local population to the dangers the incinerator posed.
The Bernard Road plant had exceeded its legal pollution limits 156 times in just two years and discharged tonnes of toxic chemicals on to the people of Sheffield. One month after Greenpeace shut down the incinerator, Onyx who took over the running of Sheffield waste services from the council announced they planned to close it.
During the trial, prosecution witness James Timmington, the assistant manager of the plant at the time of the occupation, told the jury that the incinerator had regularly breached its pollution limits and had been prosecuted and fined for failing to comply with an enforcement notice. He also told the jury that Sheffield incinerator emitted a "toxic cocktail of chemicals".
The three defendants Rachel Murray, Huw Williams and Chris Holden all admitted their part in shutting down the plant but pleaded not guilty on the grounds that they were stopping the plant committing crimes against the people of Sheffield.
Rachel Murray one of the defendants said,
"We are delighted by the acquittal. We are glad we were able to stop this plant churning out poisonous chemicals if only for a few days and that some Sheffield residents were able to open their windows for the first time in years.
"We know that burning rubbish gives off poisons that cause cancers, heart disease and breathing problems. Across the country thousands of local people are fighting against plans to build new plants. Greenpeace will continue to do everything we can to stop new incinerators being built here and across Britain."
People living near incinerators risk exposure to a range of toxic chemicals by breathing contaminated air or by eating contaminated produce like vegetables, eggs and milk, or by skin contact with contaminated soil. One of the most dangerous by-products of burning rubbish are dioxins. The World Health Organisation has said that dioxins are highly carcinogenic and the UK government has warned that half of Britain's babies and toddlers are already taking in more dioxins than is safe.
Numerous studies confirm that a typical incinerator releases a cocktail of known toxic chemicals, including dioxins, lead, cadmium, mercury and fine particles, into the atmosphere. There have been several studies showing increased incidences of cancers and heart disease amongst people living near to or working in incinerators. Recent medical research published in The Lancet showed that toxic fumes from incinerators could be having alarming effects on the sexual development of children.
