Public shares views on waste burner bid

Residents gave their views over plans for a controversial multi-million pound incinerator in Shrewsbury at a public event which could help decide the fate of the burner.

The Environment Agency hosted the event at The Lantern in Sundorne yesterday so people could air their concerns and comments about the household waste incinerator which is proposed for Battlefield.

The agency says it will take all scientific evidence and opinions into account before making a decision over whether to grant a permit.

Residents Nick Hall, of Upper Astley, and Richard Cowdry, of Astley, both near Shrewsbury, said they were firmly against plans.

Mr Hall said: "It's unnecessary we're recycling more and there is less waste coming in anyway.

"It's dangerous to health and it's in the wrong place. I don't think the government has done sufficient studies on the dangers to health.

"The government may say it's perfectly fine but they also said the same about meat before BSE and leaded petrol."

Mr Cowdry said the incinerator was the biggest issue affecting Shrewsbury at the moment and claimed many people were against it.

Sue and Steve Boulding, members of Safe Waste in Shropshire, said they were happy to grill Environment Agency officials over Veolia's plans.

Mrs Boulding said: "There's all sorts of other things they could be doing to deal with waste such as anaerobic digestion, and there are also companies that will separate waste."

And Carol Embrey, of Leafields, Shrewsbury, said she was angry that an incinerator could be built so close to her home.

She said: "Recycling is going up all the time and I do not want to live next door to an incinerator."

But former Councillor Eileen Sandford, of Belle Vue, said she was in support of the incinerator, in principle.

She said: "There are questions but in principle if there is nothing better I think we have got to go down this route."

Carl Moss, project executive for the Environment Agency, said that based on experience of similar applications it could take another six months before a decision is made about the permit.

He said the agency wanted to receive all public comments before August 1.

The agency says it will not issue permits for any industrial site, including energy from waste plants, if it considers they will cause significant pollution to the environment or harm human health.

By Russell Roberts