Bournemouth Civic Centre, 07th November 2024
Concerned residents, environmental groups, and local organisations came together outside the Civic Centre to oppose the proposed building of a waste incinerator in Canford. They were briefly joined by the Mayor of Bournemouth, George Farquhar, who expressed his opposition to the proposed incinerator. This scheme has sparked widespread anger among community members who are committed to protecting the climate, environment, and public health, and who say that granting planning permission for the incinerator could increase our council tax.
Potential liability for increases in BCP Council Tax or a reduction in services
Ralph Doe, retired bookshop owner, Charminster, states that‘the Governments published plans are to halve residual, non-recyclable, waste by 2042. The Canford Facility has an operational lifetime of approximately 40 years, during which BCP council could be contractually obliged to provide waste to be burnt. The operational lifetime of the incinerator wouldextend roughly 24 years – depending on when it became operational – beyond the date where our council would, to meet its share of the national government targets, have to halve its own waste’. This could lead to a situation where ‘our local council has to pay any financial shortfall to the incinerator operator, caused by the council not providing sufficient waste to burn. If this did happen it would likely be financed by an increase in our council tax bills, or a further reduction in council services.’
UK Emissions Trading Scheme: additional liability for increases in BCP Council Tax or reduction in services
In 2028 the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) will be expanded to include local government waste that is collected and sent for incineration, says Helen Nicol Health care professional. Campaigners estimate this could lead to an ‘additional cost to the council of £3 million per year, which would have to be financed by further increases to council taxes or additional local service reductions’.
Incinerator Overcapacity and Importing Waste
They are also concerned about the likelihood of even more overcapacity if permission is granted. Doug Skinner, Chair of Planet Purbeck, said that ‘an incinerator has already been granted planning permission at Chapel Lane in Parley which has the capacity of incinerating 60,000 tons of waste per year, with plans to increase this to 105,000 tonnes. Planning permission has also been granted for an incinerator at Portland with a capacity for 202,000 tonnes of waste to be burnt per year. If the planning application for the Canford incinerator is successful, capacity in Dorset will be increased by a further 260,000 tonnes of waste per year.’
Mr Skinner goes on to say ‘taking into consideration the UK Government targets to halve non-recyclable waste by 2042, there is a strong prospect that, in order to fulfil contracts with the incinerator operators, BCP and Dorset councils would either have to import non-recyclable waste into the area or pay contract penalties for not providing sufficient waste. This is all happening when, as reported by the BBC ‘Nearly half of the rubbish produced in UK homes, including increasing amounts of plastic, is now being incinerated. Scientists warn it is a “disaster for the climate” – and some are calling for a ban on new incinerators’.
Counter to the Circular Economy
The incinerator is due to be considered by our council members at a time when the Environment Secretary has made the circular economy one of his five core priorities, partly by moving to a future where we keep our resources in use for longer, and accelerate the path to net zero. October’s Budget also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to move towards a zero-waste economy. This raises questions as to whether the granting of planning permission would be in line with government’s plans for waste management.
The proposed facility, designed to burn waste at high temperatures, raises serious concerns regarding air quality, public health, and environmental sustainability. Community members argue that incineration not only contributes to air pollution but also undermines efforts to promote recycling and waste reduction.
The BBC reported in October that ‘burning household rubbish in giant incinerators to make electricity is now the dirtiest way the UK generates power’, and that their analysis says that ‘energy produced from waste is five times more polluting than the average UK unit of electricity’.
Rick Larcombe, a resident of Canford, said “Building another incinerator is a big step backwards in our fight against climate change” … “instead of investing in unsustainable waste management practices, we should be prioritising recycling, composting, and reducing waste at the source. The health of our community and the integrity of our environment should come first.”
