‘Refuse the incinerator’ new councillors urged

NEW councillors elected onto Wiltshire Council are being urged to oppose the controversial incinerator plan in Westbury, by local campaign group WGAG.

The group says, “We call on all candidates that are elected to Wiltshire Council: Please refuse the incinerator!”

The group explains, “It is incompatible with the climate change and zero carbon Wiltshire Council declaration, it is bad for the health of our planet and bad for the health of Westbury and its neighbours.

“A crucial decision will be made by those elected for the county’s residents and especially for Westbury and surrounding villages: Wiltshire Council’s strategic planning committee will be deciding whether to permit the construction of an incinerator in our town.

“More than three years ago, the chief DEFRA scientist warned about building more incinerators. Yet there is a plan on our doorstep to build an even bigger incinerator than the one approved in 2019. That was not built, construction did not start. The latest application would bring in 50% more waste –  243,000 tonnes of waste mostly commercial and industrial in origin from up to two hours’ drive away.

“In the last three years the UK has declared a climate emergency. Wiltshire Council, Westbury Town Council and others have followed.

“We are finally learning that the responsible way to deal with what we don’t want is not to buy it in the first place. And to reuse what we do buy, repair it and recycle it.

“Burning the waste industries and businesses produce does not avoid landfilling. Up to 30% of what is burnt still has to go to landfill.

“In 2001 an Air Quality Management Area was declared for the A350 that goes through the town. Twenty years later there is still no plan to alleviate pollution.

“What would come out of the incinerator chimney would add to the impact on the health of Westbury residents. The town already has the worst record in the county for deaths from cancer and cardiovascular disease.

“Lorries bringing in material to burn would impact the A350 even more. Who has walked down Haynes Road and smelt the fumes, breathed in the polluted air? Is it safe to push a buggy with children along roads heavy with traffic?

“On 21st April a coroner in London called for a change in the law to reduce the permitted levels of particulates to that recommended by the WHO. Britain allows double! A coroner’s verdict in 2020 ruled that a nine year old girl, Ella, had died from the effects of pollution walking to school on a busy road. Asthma.

“Please refuse the incinerator!”