Greenpeace ( 9/10/00) invaded Edmonton waste incinerator in North London - Britain's biggest rubbish incinerator plant. Sixty-five Greenpeace volunteers, including core teams of skilled climbers, occupied key areas of the plant in a bid to stop it burning household waste. The volunteers intended to close the incinerator completely to prevent it emitting a cocktail of chemicals that can cause cancers and asthma attacks.
Two climbers attached themselves to the huge rubbish-grabbing claw used to feed the furnace with rubbish. Four more volunteers wearing gas masks and protective gear set up camp on top of the 100-metre chimney stack from where the toxic gases are emitted. A further fifty Greenpeace supporters from across the UK blockaded the plant's entrance to stop rubbish trucks from delivering their loads.
Despite evidence that burning rubbish can cause cancer and other health problems, the Government is currently considering whether to expand Edmonton by 50%. The Government has already promised taxpayers' money for a further four-fold increase in incinerators across the UK. Currently there are just 15 municipal waste incinerators in the UK of which Edmonton is the biggest. The Government has now awarded another 62 contracts across the country and a further 10 incinerators are in planning or under construction. London, Glasgow, Manchester and Newcastle are under threat from the expansion. (1).
Rob Gueterbock, a Greenpeace campaigner said: "With incineration your rubbish comes back to haunt you. You put it out through your door and it comes back as air pollution through your window. The Government should be shutting Edmonton and Britain's other cancer factories now - not putting the public at risk by building more."
There are no safe levels for the many of the toxic chemicals streaming out of Edmonton. While some emissions have been reduced by modern technology others like mercury are actually increasing. Every year the Edmonton smokestack spews out 800 tonnes of acid gases and 50 kilos of arsenic.
In August, new research found that between 1974 and 1987, children who lived within 5km of incinerators were twice as likely to die of cancer. Thousands of new chemical compounds are formed from the burning of rubbish and scientists have identified many as hazardous. (3)
Despite the Government licensing massive incinerator expansion, Environment Minister Michael Meacher said in a House of Lords Inquiry in 1999: "the emissions from incinerator processes are extremely toxic. Some of the emissions are carcinogenic. We know, scientifically, that there is no safe threshold below which we can allow such emissions. We must use every reasonable instrument to eliminate altogether." (4)
Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, has said: "My view is there should be no extension of incineration in LondonI will do all I can to oppose any extension of or construction of new incineration." (5)
Burning rubbish not only threatens the environment and human health but also undermines targets for waste reduction and recycling. In Edmonton, Canada, the town recycles over 50% of its rubbish and is aiming to increase that to 70%.
Gueterbock added, "We need to end this 'burn it or bury it' attitude to our rubbish now. Recycling is possible. If they can make it happen in Edmonton, Canada, our Government should be able to make it happen in Edmonton, UK. There is no reason to carry on squandering millions of pounds of taxpayers' money on a nationwide network of cancer factories. Edmonton and other waste incinerators should be closed now."
