PAIN is very sorry to report that James Abbott, who has represented the Green Party at Essex County Council, lost his seat last week by a margin of 39 votes.
Few, if any, people know more about the history of the Rivenhall incinerator or have worked so tirelessly against its build than James.
He is, too, a thoroughly decent person.
ECC hasn't lost its Green councillor though. Paul Thorogood trounced every other contender in the Braintree East ward.
Thank you James
Welcome you Paul.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has revealed that it will soon issue new guidelines on air pollution limits, while the government continues to mull adopting the existing ones.

The new recommendations will be published in early July, according to Maria Neira, director of public health, environmental and social determinants of health at the body.… More She was speaking at a press conference yesterday that followed the release of a coroner’s ‘prevention of future deaths’ report into the case of Ella Kissi-Debrah, the nine year old girl whose death in 2013 has now been attributed to breathing dirty air.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/apr/21/reduce-air-pollution-levels-uk-to-who-limits-says-coroner-ella-kissi-debrah

so if Wales can do it!

This month: Welsh government brings in immediate moratorium on 10MWe+ EfW capacity, RDF sector questions Eunomia’s support after it releases another anti-EfW report and a full facilities round up

The Welsh government has confirmed its planned moratorium on new energy-from-waste capacity will come in “immediately” but the move… More has left confusion in its wake as it has failed to clarify how this will have an impact on projects already in the pipeline

Some question for you to ask tonight;-

Everybody should go even if it’s to look and see what they have to say, it’s their side of the story but some questions;-

Our report will be available as a reference and for you to take and ask a question directly from it

• Why do they think we need one when recycling is becoming more 'the right thing to do’
•… More Why do we need one when there is existing incineration capacity in the UK
• Why is ECC supporting this (the logos are on the boards imply tacit support)
• where do they think the waste will come from?
• Where will the fly and bottom ash going; - Fly ash is toxic
• Does this (the fly and bottom ash) add to Essex's waste burden
• what will you do… More

This supports what I have been saying that as biomass is removed the plastic incinerated is 'concentrated' and therefore produces MORE CO2

Consultancy Eunomia has issued a new report targeting plastic content in feedstocks sent for energy recovery.

In a report issued today, Eunomia forecasts plastic rising to a “higher proportion” of residual waste… More streams. It predicts it will be about 17.1% by 2035 and much of it will be plastic film that is “not readily collected or recycled”.

Oh dear, looks like the current administration at GCC aren't behaving as honourably as one would expect ahead of an election. We hope that Private Eye publishing this gives our local press confidence to do the same, to ensure people have objective information to base their voting decision on.

I wonder which experts told the Central Electricity Generating Board in or around 1962 that a tall single chimney at power stations would clean the air becuase “the chimney emissions would hurtle out at such a… More temperature and speed that they would rise into the upper atmosphere and do no harm at all”?
(Orimulsion HC Deb 14 May 1992 vol 207 cc832-48)

There are plenty of journal articles about the link between air pollution and posy-neonatal mortality (deaths between 28 weeks and 1 years) and here’s extract from one where link noticed after 1952 London smog:… More

On Wednesday (24th March 2021) there will be a Parliamentary adjournment debate on "waste incinerators" in the Main Chamber of the House of Commons!
See: https://www.theyworkforyou.com/calendar/?d=2021-03-24… More
Adjournment debates start once the other business of the day has concluded or at 7pm whichever comes first. These debates carry on until 7:30pm.
As usual, the relevant Government Minister (presumably Rebecca Pow) will respond (and will be given the last word).
The debate has been called by Robbie Moore MP - who has spoken out against the incinerator proposed for his Keighley constituency, where the Aire Valley Against Incineration group remain active in opposition to this proposal.
Please alert your MP about this forthcoming debate, and ask your MP to attend, by using our service at https://ukwin.eaction.org.uk/adjourn
If this facility does not work on your mobile telephone, please try again on a laptop, tablet, or PC.

So I need to provide another update;- as at today, Gent Fairhead issues a statement that they have re-applied for their EA permit BUT with a reduced stack to the original 35m above ground, This was refused.

They now state that by implementing 'tighter controls' they can make a 35m stack work so
1) why was this not done at the time
2) this was… More supposed to be Best Available Technologies BAT has it moved on that much
3) the 35m stack was for 365,000 throughput, not 595,000 how does this impact the new design.
4) it was the best cost height benefit as confirmed by the EA
5) what will the effective filter length be now.
6) what will the new dispersions look like with a lower stack as height equals dispersion

this is a good read

Another little update;- The planning process seems to be paused while the applicant considered the revised waste report showing that ECC have overestimated the waste needs.
ECC has just confirmed that they are expecting reports back from the applicant Mid August. So the earliest this could go to committee is the September hearing if this gives ECC… More enough time to review and new material However we have asked for a similar time as has been granted to the applicant (Ie a few months and not the statutory 21 days) to respond so it could be later.
Will keep you posted