WGAG urge local MP to sign up to moratorium on incinerator

THE town’s anti-incinerator group, Westbury Gasification Action Group (WGAG) has urged the local conservative MP, the Rt Hon Dr Andrew Murrison, to join fellow MPs in signing up to a moratorium on the expansion of incinerators in the country.  

It was revealed that his name was not among those listed on the cross-party document that called for a halt on expanding further waste to energy incinerators. This would have an effect on the proposed Westbury incinerator next to Arla Foods, which is yet to be ‘called-in’ by the Secretary of State for further consideration. 

In a letter to Dr Murrison, Dan Gmaj from WGAG wrote, “I can inform you that the current All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) letter calling for a moratorium sadly does not have your signature at the current time, which I presume must be an oversight as I know that you believe this to be the correct way forward from your historical support for this very call from 2019. 

“In order to rectify this situation and to truly ‘unify the call for moratorium at this moment’ I have received today an invitation from the APPG Chair, Geraint Davies MP which reads as follows: 

“Of course, my letter calls for a stop to all incinerator developments and it is this that I will continue to press for.  Andrew did not add his name in this instance. I would be very pleased if he wanted to join the APPG on Air Pollution”.   

The moratorium was called on by MPs after a report by the all-party parliamentary group on air pollution said that there should be a halt put on new incinerators to protect human health and cut carbon emissions. The report says that ultrafine particles released by incineration are a ‘significant health hazard’. 

Dr Murrison has previously stated his opposition to the proposed Westbury incinerator when he spoke to The White Horse News last October, “I’ve raised the issue with the Secretary of State in person and in writing. It’s important that he calls this in since he can consider issues that Wiltshire Council, as the local planning authority, were less able to consider. 

“I’m very hopeful. It seems to me that anyone looking at this objectively will come to same conclusion as me, that this application must be turned down.”