Safe Waste in Shropshire has secured Dr Dick van Steenis MBBS (internationally renowned expert on the health effects of incinerators) to speak at a public meeting on Friday 29 February at Sundorne School and Sports College, Corndon Crescent, Shrewsbury. The meeting, called ‘Shrewsbury’s incinerator: dangers and alternatives’ is a wake-up call for the people of Shrewsbury and surrounding areas. Shropshire County Council signed a 27-year contract with French firm, Veolia Waste Services, in September 2007 which includes a plan to build an burner-incinerator at Battlefield waste disposal site. The county council is now contracted to support Veolia’s planning application.Dick van Steenis is truly independent. He is not in the pay of any vested interest or PR machine. Since his retirement as a GP in 1989, he has devoted much of his time and energy to research into the health effects of air pollution, especially incineration, and advocacy for safer methods of waste disposal. Dick van Steenis has spoken at many public inquiries into incinerators and has been successful in helping get incinerators stopped in several places including Cambridge, Hull and Pembroke.His research, which has been peer-reviewed and published in several respected health journals including the Lancet, shows that ‘Incineration of waste causes a shortening of lifespan of up to 12 years often in the prime of life by increasing a range of diseases especially heart attacks & cancers.’
Dick van Steenis will also explain that, ‘Incineration of waste vaporises heavy metals making the particulates emitted even more lethal when you inhale them into your lungs.’
He will also talk about plasma gasification which studies demonstrate is a much safer alternative to incineration. Many countries, including the USA are turning to this method instead of incineration. ‘Veolia are ……. fobbing off English residents with inferior equipment by comparison’
Other speakers include: Daniel Kawczynski, MP for Shrewsbury and Atcham, Cllr Miles Kenny (Shropshire CC) and Cllr Alan Mosley (Shropshire CC).
The meeting will be chaired by Cllr Claire Wild (Independent, SABC)
DAN's PORKIES
ReplyDeleteIt was revealing to hear Viridor's PR and spin Guru dan Cooke was rather IRATE about the PM2.5 realities.
http://www.viridor-waste.co.uk/index.php?menu=news&category&id=289
DAN's Porkies
1) Dan's reference to the HPA Nov 2005 document for universial safety.
Porky 1: this document does not look at PM2.5 fine particles, either scientifically or as an expert opinion. No PM2.5 epidemiological studies.
2) Dan Says "With regard to PM2.5, fine particles such as these are efficiently removed from the flue gases with baghouse filters, which would be employed at the proposed facility."
Porky 2: In IPPC permits specify Baghouse filter efficiency. 30-35% of PM2.5 pass through baghouse filters, 70-90% of fine particles less than PM2.5 size particles pass through baghouse filters. I would conclude that most fine particles of PM2.5> passing through baghouse filters is "very inefficient".
3) Dan Says "The health and air quality impact assessments that support the Oxwellmains application were based upon a full analysis of modelled flue emissions and conclude that there would be no significant impacts and the plant would be fully compliant with current and emerging standards. Based upon this assessment it is predicted that PM2.5 emissions from the proposed plant would be less than 1% of Scotland’s proposed standard for local air quality standards, to be implemented by 2020.
Porky 3 : Modern incinerators have no continual or specific monitoring of stack top or downwind PM2.5 emissions. Dan’s values are based on outdated data and estimates from older incinerators at PM10 level and do not raise the % of PM2.5 concentrations in a local downwind area accepted, (as opposed to Scotland which is a big place).
4) Dan says "It is also worth noting that PM2.5 particles are not unique to Energy from Waste processes, with the dominant source being traffic emissions and other industrial processes."
Porky 4 : PM2.5 fine particles are fundimentally different from traffic emissions and other combustion processes. Incinerator PM2.5s are more cytotoxically and genotoxically complex and potent than other PM2.5 sources, with many heavy metal, PAH, Dioxin/Furan combinations. Like comparing 70% Whisky to 4% Bitter.
5)Dan Say's "Energy from Waste plants are today operating safely and efficiently across the UK and the rest of the world."
Porky5 : No EfW Incinerator has been proven safe, not 100% via pathway emissions to human lungs, organs and immune systems. Dan's safety claims are akin to 1970's tobacco company cigarette health defence. Plasma Arc Gasification is the global Best Available Technology with all three stages proven, 1)Fluid Bed gasifier,2)Plasma gas treatment to syngas 3)Gas engine conversion of cleaned syngas.
Thanks for this useful information.
ReplyDeletePlease keep in touch with the campaign: we need people on the ball like you.
Best wishes
Safe Waste in Shropshire