Memorandum submitted by Bioplex Limited
As you may be aware, as an example of a UK county,
Hampshire has chosen an expensive way to dispose of its household
and some trade wastes, by burning it in energy from waste incinerators.
Incinerators are typical of the 1800s, when resources and money
was plentiful, but today it is madness; especially when you consider
the millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide produced by burning refuse.
There is no independent scientific evidence
to prove the industry's claims that refuse incineration is sustainable,
carbon dioxide neutral, a renewable energy or safe. Basically
we have all been taken for a ride by the dishonesty of the incineration
industry.
To replace the materials burnt, the energy required
is many times that produced from the incinerator. As to safety,
go to www.bbc.co.uk and enter "incinerator+breast+cancer"
or "incinerator+farm+cancer" or just "incinerator+health"
in the search box towards the top left of the screen. Who you
live near one now?
There is a better way.
Michael Woodhall, our local councillor, at a
meeting earlier this year introduced an excellent idea to grow
more biomass and forestry in Hampshire; this could become a major
resource as the County becomes self-sufficient in renewable energy.
The Chineham incinerator can be used to burn
forestry and perhaps other biofuels, then this site could generate
more power than it was designed to by burning refuse, and produce
much less pollution. The other two incinerators at Marchwood and
Portsmouth could be cancelled or coverted to sites used solely
for biomass as Combined Heat and Power (CHP) power stations, using
the Government's NFFO (Non Fossil Fuel Obligation) grants for
its intended purpose to stimulate renewable energy.
(Refuse organics > fertiliser/fibrous soil
conditioner > forestry/biomass > CHP electricity and local
heating).
The organic fraction of Hampshire's household
refuse (about 50%) could be converted by composting/anaerobic
digestion into a fibrous organic fertiliser soil additive and
used on the areas to grow arable crops and biomass. The 400,000
tonnes of organics would require 8,000 acres of farmland, the
application rate of nutrients is well within the DEFRA NVZ levels
(see the attached compost demand). 8,000 acres equate to a dozen
average sized local farms. Now take this example nationwide.
Farms could be paid £5 per tonne to store
and spread the organic material in accordance with EU and national
policy. The whole cost of organic material treatment and use on
farmland is less than the current cost burying or burning it.
As you are aware, the HM Treasury and HM Customs and Excise are
considering a disposal (landfill and incineration) tax of at least
£34 per tonne, which would push the cost of disposal to two
or three times that of recycling and organic material treatment
and use on farmland; with a greater impact on the County's finances.
Extra advantages are the substitution of petrochemical
fertilisers used in agriculture, and adding organic fibre to the
soils which have become depleted. The fibre will enhance the soil
structure and add resistance to the effects of flooding and erosion.
Hampshire, indeed other forward thinking councils,
will meet its 50% recycling level in one go. There is also the
metal, glass and plastics which can all have new uses.
On its present course:
— Money used to pay for expensive imported
incinerators, running costs, ash disposal costs and costs of failing
to meet statutory recycling targets goes out of the country.
By rethinking your waste strategy:
— The money saved by maximum recycling,
using lower cost apparatus, carbon trading credits and biomass/renewable
energy credits stays in the country.
— Most of the expertise needed is local,
including the staff at county hall and the boroughs.
— A healthy farming economy and recreating
the Carbon and Nitrogen cycles which linked town and country.
The countryside produced food for the towns, their wastes went
back onto the land which grew the food. This chain has been broken
by the landfill and burning of potentially recoverable organic
matter; the farms and transport depend on oil based fertiliser
and fuel. (NB The last major oil field was discovered in the late
1970's and oil production has peaked a few years ago). (IEA 2002).
— Hosting environmental research and
engineering companies. According to the DTI and Foreign Office
JEMU (Joint Environmental Marketing Unit) this industry sector
could be worth £billions in export.
The organic fraction recycling and energy production
technology exists today and we are lucky to be involved with it.
Much of it is home grown. Please look at www.bioplex.co.uk and
www.safe-waste.com.
We have had DTI financial support and now have
more than 500,000 Euros of further funding to enhance the recycling
process, to inactivate pathogens (including the BSE prion) and
enhance the energy efficiency. Much of this pioneering work could
be done in this country with its moral support, but it most likely
to be done abroad.
Basically Hampshire, and the other counties
planning incineration will ensure that Britain keeps its title
the "Dirty Man of Europe".
But we have a golden opportunity, by changing
course, to be the top sustainable country and host a world beating
farming, composting, recycling and environmental engineering industry.
Think of the income to our economy and the treasury, whilst protecting
the environment!
Bioplex Limited
8 January 2003
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