Incinerator bid ‘could destroy farm’
Friday 23rd January 2009, 10:19AM GMT.
A farmer living next to the proposed site for a waste incinerator in Telford today claimed it could “break” her business.
Janet Jones, of Redhill Farm, Redhill, said if energy giant Sita UK gets its way, the farm she has spent 14 years and hundreds of thousands of pounds building up may no longer be able to function. Sita is seeking permission from Telford & Wrekin Council to develop the new incinerator.
The energy-from-waste plant would be less than a mile away at Granville Tip, at Redhill.
The company claims there would be no threat to health or farmland from the burner, and it would be a clean way of minimising landfill and producing electricity for local firms.
Mrs Jones, 63, runs the farm with her husband John, 71, and son James, 37.
She said they were concerned the incinerator might emit harmful toxic fumes, which could contaminate their carp, livestock and crops, blighting the farm’s operation.
Mrs Jones is also concerned about the potential health risks.
“If it contaminated our food it would break us, we would not be able to sell anything,” she said.
“We all like it here a lot and we don’t want to leave, but it would break us.”
Gordon Tonkinson, another farmer from nearby Sheriffhales, said: “We as a farming industry should not have to be subjected to something like this. We are pre-empting what may well be a catastrophe.”
Geraint Rees, for Sita UK, has accused objectors of being swayed by “wild claims with no factual basis”.
By Abigail Bates
Shropshire Star on Twitter
Keep updated with the latest breaking news and content on our Twitter feed.
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Shropshire Star and Express & Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
Entertainment
All the film reviews
Before you plan a trip to the pictures, get our critics' verdicts on all the latest movie releases.
OUR NEW APP
Get the new Shropshire Star app
Download the Shropshire Star’s new app to your iPad or iPhone to get one week of access to our digital newspapers absolutely FREE.
moan moan moan! SITA are right, the fumes will be clean, nothing will be toxic, Do you think they would even be able to operate the place if it was going to emit toxic fumes! Now I know who are the ones falling for all this health rubbish! Did you know that your livestock can be toxic, you know “Methane”!
Report abuse
Apparently a study in Japan once revealed much higher levels of suicide in Carp down wind of incinerators…
Report abuse
Peter I was just thinking that.. incinerators cause almost everything you know !
Oh and before anyone says I am not a climate change denier etc I just dont feel that Mr Ryan’s views are justified
Report abuse
Does John also think the government were right in saying that the nuclear testing on the Christmas Islands were safe????? Has John seen the medical reports of those living down wind of the existing incinerators?
Report abuse
But all the contaminants oozing through the groundwater from the landfill are fine? Sure…
Report abuse
Michael Ryan’s and Dr van Steenis’s numerous maps, research, reports, references, etc can be accessed on our WebBlog
and all other relavant issues; other peer reviewed reports/research/expert views,media clips, Norfolks solutions to date,several modern alternative residual technologies available.
At the end of the day ; folk have to make their own minds up.
Report abuse
NAIL2 webblog may be found on UKWIN wesite links page
Report abuse
If the council allow the proposal are they going to pay any compensation to existing home owners in the area for any pollution and clean up required in the future due to any contamination which may be caused, also have they considered what impact it will have to house valuations in the area and whether lenders may now say that due to the close proximity of the site that they are not willing to lend against such a property?
Report abuse
why we have to have ANOTHER foreign firm doing this for us, england really has gone down the drain thanks to labour as for burning stuff, well is better than recycling, lets just get on with it
Report abuse
Grey, your ‘either landfill or incineration’ question in#5 is a false dilemma, isn’t it?
Aren’t you forgetting recycling?
The UK recycles less than HALF of what the Germans and the Dutch achieve.
We should be re-using and recycling resources more, not sending them into the atmosphere.
Report abuse
Mr J, hello.
We met on this thread: http://www.shropshirestar.com/2009/01/12/residents-rally-over-burner-plans/
You, I think, were about to respond to a question of mine before you realised how busy you were and left the discussion.
It would be great if you could stick around this time and exchange ideas, and tell me why I am wrong.
You said that Michael Ryan was spreading ‘other peoples false information’(#52).
However, the epidemiological study Mr Ryan cited in #13 was produced by academics from the (Japanese) National Institute of Public Health (Saitama), Kyoto University, Okayama University and Seitoku University.
These sound, to me, like respected institutions.
Their conclusion was that, in Japan as recently as 2004, incinerators were associated with dioxin contamination.
Peter, who -like you- denies both anthropogenic climate change and the potential harmful effects of incineration, said the Shropshire incinerators will not emit high levels of dioxins(#30).
Perhaps Peter or you could comment on a World Health Organisation (WHO) factsheet from November 2007 called ‘Dioxins and their effects on human health’.
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs225/en/index.html
3rd paragraph: ‘In terms of dioxin release into the environment, waste incinerators (solid waste and hospital waste) are often the worst culprits, due to incomplete burning.’
I am aware that incinerators are now more strictly monitored for emissions than they were 20 years ago, and may be more strictly monitored than they are in Japan, but some sort of reassurance from an official and trustworthy source (ie not someone who mocks research carried out be respected institutions) seems necessary.
Report abuse
Clearly its a grey area because its about long term exposure over time and there’s not enough research out there, but literally walking past one isnt going to make you drop down dead from dioxin, not like that Ukraine president dude, he was spiked with a truly massive dose, but the thing is when people live around them for a long time, and maybe have other risk factors like smoking etc, also i understand the farmers concern because it accumulates in fatty tissues, especially in pigs and cows and things, if you then also happen to me a meat and dairy fan, and you smoke, and you live next to the incinerator, then yes you will have your life shortened, obviously thats terrible but the powers that be have to weigh up that risk against the massive benefit of reduced landfill and free electricity for all the neighbouring housing
Report abuse
Huw,
There is no suggestion that this incinerator will be producing dioxins. By introducing them into the debate are simply scaremongering, and yes, spreading flase information.
But then it wouldn’t be unheard of for an environmentalist to grossly exaggerate a threat would it?
Report abuse
Huw, Dioxin is toxic, but it is my understanding that what comes out of new incinerators is not significant. you get far more significant exposure from day to day activities such as cooking.
Thats why people have now started to chase the particulate matter issue instead. But again, there are far more signinificant sources out there like cars.
I have been trying to find a single credible / robust scientific study that proves modern incinerators cause poor health. so far, i got zip. even that Japanese study you mentioned concludes that it couldnt attribute health risk to incinerators.
Report abuse
Huw, no I don’t believe it is a false dilema. I totally agree that we need to recycle more, however we don’t and I would rather something productive came of our waste than continue to send it to landfill.
Report abuse
peter
all combustion forms dioxins
so it may not be advertised but yes the incinerator will put out dioxins it would be impossible for it not to
Report abuse
If the surrounding farmers are so concerned about the toxins etc, then whatabout the pestercides, insectercides and herbercides that they use to increase their production levels, so that they make more money !!!!
What poisons does the crematorium give off ?
Report abuse
Jo your right, all burning forms dioxin, but modern incinerators have a controlled burn set at a temperature that reduces dioxin formation and then has millions of pounds worth of filtering equipment that scrubs the air to strict environmental limits.
You need to think about how much these incinerators actually pump out, in reality it’s far less than industry or power stations (as they don’t have to abide by the same standards) and even lower than domestic sources such as bonfires.
That’s why dioxin isn’t successfully raised as a reason to oppose these things.
Report abuse
Richard
I don’t think Crematoriums have to abide by the same environmental regs. I dont want to sound insensitive or scaremonger, but i wouldn’t be surprised if they actually pose more of an air pollution risk than your basic incinerator. They don’t have large chimneys to aid dispersal, there is a lot of mercury in fillings, and are artificial and replacement joints and pace-makers removed first?
You got me thinking now, im going to do a bit of homework on that.
Report abuse
loony tree hugging liberals want green electricity but they dont like the Swedish model of how to ween yourself off oil
its simple greenies a healthy diet of nuclear and energy from waste, good old fashioned power from steam, transported round the country, just without fossil fuels to make the steam in the first place
that’s what you wanted isnt it greenies? no?
hahahahahahhaahhahahahahahahh, now eat your words you socialists do gooders
Report abuse
Huw Peach, you know all the information has been copied and pasted and published on some else’s website, and to my knowledge the information used is copyright protected and you havent seeked the prior agreement to copy and paste information, I feel the that the Shropshire star can get in trouble for this and they may stop all these people coping articles that don’t belong to them, oh and has any one built and tested these theories, because to me, there just a bunch of words that don’t mean anything, we all breath in the same air and it hasn’t affected anyone yet, and the Christmas island test’s, radiation poisoning is immediate, the people claiming that hair and teeth are falling out isn’t down to the fact that they were there when the bombs went off, its down to age, there doing it to claim compensation from the government and the MOD because they have been told to do it!
Report abuse
Peter, I wouldn’t call bringing salient information into the public domain ‘grossly exaggerating a threat’.
I would call it asking important questions.
My opposition to this incinerator was primarily motivated by a desire to avoid recycling being undermined.
However, since becoming involved with these debates, and having seen the way that health concerns are treated with the same contempt as the peer-reviewed science of climate change, I have become more deeply interested in the health side of things.
The outrageous way that Michael Ryan is treated by fellow posters has heightened my interest in getting to the truth of the matter. And the bullying tactics used against him make me more keen to stand up to those who dole it out.
People are concerned about this ( http://www.shropshirestar.com/2008/12/03/mps-survey-reveals-79-against-burner/ ) and they need to have their concerns answered in a courteous way, by officials who treat them with respect.
Mrs Jones’s concerns about her farm are genuine.
90% of dioxins enter our bodies through the food chain, according to the WHO.
New Scientist magazine did a feature last year on diabetes, which is epidemic in the 21st century (15 September 2008, Could the diabetes epidemic be down to pollution?).
‘According to a small but growing group of scientists … the real culprit [for diabetes] is a family of toxic chemicals known as persistent organic pollutants, or POPs.’
‘For most people, POPs are inescapable: meat, fish and dairy products all contain them. They enter the food chain from sources such as pesticides, chemical manufacturing and INCINERATED WASTE (my capitals), and accumulate in animals higher up in the chain. Once in the body they take up residence in fat.’
I know this is NOT PROVEN.
However, I think that Mrs Jones, who produces food for our consumption, deserves to be treated with respect not the sort of abuse that Mr J doles out.
Report abuse
Ryan (#14) you said, ‘so far, i got zip.’
Are you from the USA?
Report abuse
All this recycling is nonsense. It was on the BBC tonite that experts are undecided as to if the “environmental cost” of recycling, (i.e. collecting, processing, refining) is less than making from natural resources.
Still I do my bit, by heating my home on waste wood that other people throw away, and I don’t go out of my way to collect this recycling material, so zero environmental cost there.
Of course I don’t like to go on about it as it upsets greenies who have a carbon foot print the size of Al Gore’s.
Report abuse
I support the comments of Hugh Peach. We collated on our NAIL2 webblog several peer reviewed epidemiological studies of biomarkers around modern incinerators; all finding living near/downwind of incinerators, with regards to unfiltered,unmonitored fine particle PM2.5 > PM1 size emissions is not good, and has measurable health impacts.
Report abuse
Hi Huw, nope, not a yank. originally from leafy Surrey, but became interested in the incinerator debate after hearing about the Newhaven incinerator.
I find it weird that we have got into a situation where the general public believe that they are more informed than health specialists and that there is some form of conspiracy to cover the health risk up.
Rob, on point number 25, you said that there are several peer reviewed studies of biomarkers around modern incinerators. Could you post the names of the studies, as I am keen to read.
Report abuse
Lucy has a point, we may do our bit to recycle, but unless there is a market for these materials, then we can be left with the storage cost or end up land filling or burning it anyway. But i would be careful with what you burn in your fireplace. paper is treated with all sorts, as can wood.
Report abuse
Howdy, Ryan.
What do you make of contribution #1 (‘the fumes will be clean, nothing will be toxic’)?
How reassuring do you think residents will find that coming from the abusive Mr J?
You said, ‘I find it weird that we have got into a situation where the general public believe that they are more informed than health specialists’.
One member of the general public (-me-, and yes, you are right, I am NOT a health specialist-) mentioned two studies in #11.
Perhaps you could comment on these, Ryan, and tell me what the health specialists would tell me.
The prospective Liberal Democrat candidate for Shrewsbury, Charles West, is definitely more of a health specialist than myself.
He is a doctor.
In a letter to the Shropshire Star on October 18th 2008, he wrote a letter stating,
October 30, 2008, he said,
‘There is good evidence from soil sampling that incinerators built over the last twenty or thirty years have increased the levels of toxic materials in the environment. The main serious pollutants from Municipal Waste Incinerators, and from hospital incinerators are dioxins which arise from burning plastics. The main pollutant from crematoria is mercury.
There is also evidence that suggests that there have been more stillbirths and fatal birth defects in areas close to incinerators and crematoria. This seems to be particularly true of older incinerators. The evidence cannot prove that these health problems are caused by pollution from the incinerators, but there is some likelihood that there is a link. The increase seems to be about one per thousand births.
In the circumstances it would seem to be irresponsible to build a new incinerator anywhere that is likely to expose pregnant mothers to the toxic waste.’
As the general public are not living up to your high standards, Ryan, perhaps you could put us right on why we are all wrong to be concerned about our health.
Report abuse
Ryan, you raise some issues which I am currently debating with some more pro-incineration campaigners (who just happen to be anthropogenic climate change deniers) on this thread: http://www.shropshirestar.com/2008/12/30/uk-waste-policy-is-tax-scam/
Maybe you can join that debate and, like they have done, be open about what motivates you to join in?
What motivates me, as a member of the Green Party, is a desire to see sustainability issues being discussed on a daily basis in the local media, and a hope that my activism might inspire others to get more interested in these issues.
Report abuse
Here’s letter from today’s Daily Telegraph:
Waste produces waste
SIR – Your correspondents on waste incineration (Letters, January 30) seem either to have been taken in by propaganda from the waste industry, or to be unaware of the research regarding incineration’s environmental impact.
Although superficially an attractive option, producing energy from burning waste (EfW) is actually a very inefficient way of producing electricity. Furthermore, unlike elsewhere in Europe, waste companies in Britain are being allowed to take a typically lazy approach to EfW and rarely offer local heating to the households around their plants.
There is no such thing as a “modern, clean incinerator”. Research is beginning to show that the current generation of incinerators will have serious environmental health impacts, just as the previous generations did.
As any GCSE chemistry student should be able to tell you, burning does not decrease the mass of waste; it actually increases it. The illusion of disposal is maintained because a large proportion is “aerosolled” into the air as highly reactive and toxic gases and dust.
The remaining ash goes to landfill, the very thing we are trying to avoid.
Dr A.M. Jones Appleford-on-Thames, Oxfordshire
Anyone on this blog passed GCSE chemistry or a higher exam?
Report abuse
Thank you Michael, if I wanted to read the Telegraph I would buy it.
If Dr Jones dont want incineration nor landfill, just what is he doing with his refuse?
By the way, I have o-level chemistry.
Report abuse
Maybe he is taking responsibility and reducing, re-using, recycling and composting.
How do you explain the unpopularity of incineration, Lucy W ? ( http://www.shropshirestar.com/2008/12/03/mps-survey-reveals-79-against-burner/ )
Report abuse
The unpopuarity is due to the scaremongering that is assiciated with such proposals – they seem veru happy in the Isle of Wight with theirs. No infant mortality clusters there!
And maybe Dr Jones doesn’t practice what he preaches. Have you seen Al Gore officially endorsing the Audi A6? Seems to love carbon burning fueled transport. Mind you he is strapped for cash as his Carbon Trading Business banked with the now collapsed Lehmans Bank!
Report abuse
Getting back to incineration, Lucy W, do you think ‘Mr J’ insulting protesters and inciting violence against them ( http://www.shropshirestar.com/2009/01/19/protest-over-burner-plans/ #2 + 4 ) makes incineration more or less popular?
Report abuse
Well I think Mr J has the right to free speech, obviously the reamrks about the visual appearance of the protesters did nothing to add to his reasoning. I failed to see any incitement to violence.
I think the point that Mr J makes is there is already pollution and there will always be for the foreseeable future, so why not deal with refuse by incineration and save some other form of carbon burning. Killing two birds with one stone I would say.
Note: I am not inciting anyone propel agggregates at our ornothological species with the intention to terminate their life!!
Report abuse
I fear that contrary to suggestions made here the Isle of Wight has enough adverse health effects already and the local council tried incinerating waste. There were complaints from farmers in the surrounding area about the adverse effects seen in their animals.
Within the next week we are told that the local council will be the first in the country to use the gasification process for waste disposal.
I understand that this is a much safer process than incineration and will, as the earlier plan was supposed to do but failed, also provide electricity for the local community.
Report abuse
So when Mr J says ‘someone may be tempted to run them over’ ( http://www.shropshirestar.com/2009/01/19/protest-over-burner-plans/ #4 ), you ‘fail to see any incitement to violence’?
You fail to see a lot of things, don’t you, Lucy W?
I fail to see how the Shropshire public are going to support an incinerator, when those expounding its virtues on these threads at least are selectively blind, anonymous, dismissive of health concerns, threatening, in denial and rude.
Report abuse
When Mr J said ’someone may be tempted to run them over’ I realise that that was your “incitement” but you really are stretching things. I know this isn’t a court of law using legal definitions of incitement, but even do i don’t see that Mr J is saying “someone should run them over”.
Re the list of qualities you listed, I think they could be equally applied to both sides of the arguement, with warping other peoples word being added to it.
Face fact, your idol Al Gore, the once Menace of the Motor Industry is now officially endorsing the diesel Audi A6. I for one respect that he has listened to the arguements and changed his position (regardless of the fact he was paid by Audi). However some people are so entrenched, they can not reason their position but merely copy and paste other people’s arguements.
I respect that Mr J made his own point with reasoning and read it. I don’t read copy/pastes and i think many people have also menetion form time to time.
Report abuse
According to the Shropshire Star acceptable use policy ( http://www.shropshirestar.com/acceptable-use-policy/#contentstandards ) for these threads.
‘Contributions must not:
Contain any material which is … offensive, hateful or inflammatory.
Promote violence.
Be likely to deceive any person.
Promote any illegal activity.
Be threatening [or] abuse.’
I know it must be hard to enforce all this, but it does strike me that the pro-incineration side has been given quite an easy ride.
Al Gore yesterday won a Grammy Award for the audio version of his book An Inconvenient Truth: The Planetary Emergency of Global Warming and What We Can Do About It.
This will put the denialists further on the back foot and make their abuse more desperate.
As a case in point, the only reference I could see on Google for your Audi lie, Lucy W, was on the Safe Speed site.
For those of you who are unaware of this group, Safe Speed is another front group for the climate change denial industry, which I am doing my best to unearth and expose to the public.
When the 79% of people who oppose the incinerator ( http://www.shropshirestar.com/2008/12/03/mps-survey-reveals-79-against-burner/ ) find out that your Audi claim is as untruthful as your claims about climate change or incineration, Lucy W, do you think the numbers of people opposed to incineration will grow or decrease?
Report abuse
Dear Huw
There is more to the world that google. I am stunned that if its not on google you don’t believe it. What a sheltered life you must need.
Audi magazine Winter08 has a full page image of Al Gore (page 42) with an article titleLeading Example in which Mr Gore is endorsing the A6 luxuury saloon.
I think the problem with some anti-incinerators is they believe in the world according to google – its a small world, but bigger than google.
So think twice before you accuse your oppenents of mis-information, it just makes you look like a Kermit.
And what puzzles me, is just why would you think I would make up such a claim as the Al Gore/Audi one?
Your debating problem is you nailed your colours to Al Gore’s mast and now they are going down with his ship.
Report abuse
Huw: Re Safe Speed
Whilst its not flattering for to ne called a liar on Safe Speed, I would like to clarify that I wish to be distanced from Safe Speed as since becoming involved I have discovered it is not all it claims to be.
My interest was road safety, however, you may read that I posted some extremely technical issues with complex vehicle dynamics calculations to support my reasoning (when requested). Sadly this upset the resident “experts” as they won’t accept that their driving may be less than 100%.
As a result all my posts are moderated and any that has conclusive scientific evidence to show the existing view of Safe Speed is blocked.
Many dissidents of Safe Speed are barred. However, I log all my posts and threads that I am involved in so I can justify my views if need be.
Safe Speed seems to be a bunch of moaners who can’t drive and watch a speedo.
But as Jesus went among the sinners, I try to do the same and suggest that you do also.
Report abuse
Lucy W is as interested in road safety as she is in the health of people living near this incinerator.
I recommend this thread http://www.shropshirestar.com/2008/10/21/arson-attack-on-speed-camera/ #25.
Report abuse
So I don’t believe that Speed Camera make a significant impact on road safety – but I do believe that it could be improved if attention was redirected from the hysteria of “we need more cameras”.
Indeed, environmental issues would also benefit if the hysteria was taken out. In fact most things in life would be better for it.
PS I admire your cross referencing – do you have a system?
Report abuse
How about it, everyones on about me, I wouldnt actually run some one over, but thats properly the way people feel about these protesters, I just wish they go away, and now your on about Speed cameras and road saftey, thank you Lucy for pointing out Im entitled to free speech, to the rest of you, shame. this isnt a 3rd world country, do you all want to live like the people in Africa. If not, then its about time we moved on, improve our lives to improve other peoples lives. This incinerator will mean cheaper energy, which also means the goverment will have more money to spend on public facilites.
Report abuse
I never disputed your right to free speech, Mr J.
I just wondered whether you thought being threatening to people who represent the views of 79% of local respondents ( http://www.shropshirestar.com/2008/12/03/mps-survey-reveals-79-against-burner/ ) is a good tactic for the pro-incinerators?
Report abuse
Lucy W, who do you think is being hysterical?
Campaigners representing the health concerns of ordinary people or people threatening to run them over?
Report abuse
Huw, im convinced by Mr Ryan’s comments are biased by the fact that he used to work for the environment agency. I am a “believer” in climate change. I think that statistics that Ryan uses can be tweaked to prove any arguement.
Report abuse