MP moves to revive anti-waste incinerator bill

Westbury MP Andrew Murrison is preparing to reintroduce a proposed law to stop the building of new waste incinerators, and tax waste incineration in an effort to undermine the financial viability of a new incinerator in Westbury.

The Waste Incinerators Bill was dropped when Parliament ended its most recent session last month, a process known as prorogation, which automatically ends unfinished legislation.

Dr Murrison said he will bring the Bill back once Parliament resumes after the State Opening later this month. The proposed legislation includes banning new waste incinerators and placing a tax on incineration waste.

However, the timing is not certain. The MP must first enter a private members’ ballot on 21st May, which is a parliamentary lottery used to decide which MPs can bring forward their own Bills. If unsuccessful, he would need to wait until at least 18th June to formally try again.

Andrew Murrison is also writing again to Wiltshire Council leader Ian Thorn, urging the authority to move away from supporting incineration projects.

“Incineration is fast becoming a legacy technology with substantial overcapacity already across the country,” he said.

“I strongly urge them to back off and the council to de-risk waste disposal by doing all it can to frustrate this unwanted, unneeded Westbury incinerator. At the moment, I am sorry to say, the council’s leadership is complicit in Hills Waste/NREL’s Northacre burner scheme which is disappointing given its rhetoric in opposition.”

Pictured: Andrew Murrison with his Bill