Public Enquiry on waste plan would ensure best outcome for Cornwall
Cornwall's five Liberal Democrat MPs are pressing Ministers for a full public inquiry into plans for a waste to energy incinerator. The five MPs say that
Government pressure for a solution to Cornwall's waste, which is being hit by huge costs from the landfill tax, should not lead to a "rushed" solution taken in County
Hall alone.
Dan Rogerson MP said:
"With the landfill tax threatening to impose a huge burden on council tax payers, and tipping land running out in Cornwall anyway, the need for new waste solutions is clear. But Liberal Democrat policy is that an incinerator is the last resort after waste minimisation, recycling, and examining all alternative technology. The county plan includes much increased recycling and would bring some real environmental benefits.
"Government policy is for more incineration, and the County Council has been under huge financial pressure to accept that. They have examined every other technology,
and clearly believe that they have no alternative. A full public inquiry would allow every aspect of this proposal to be scrutinised and challenged in public, and independently resolved."
Matthew Taylor MP said:
"We understand the pressure County Hall is under from
Government policy to build an incinerator. But there is no way such a fundamental decision for Cornwall should go ahead until it has been subject to scrutiny at a
full public inquiry. Then everyone has the chance to have their voice heard, and to test whether there are not better solutions to Cornwall's waste. Only the Government
can call in the application so that it goes to a full public inquiry, and that is exactly what we are asking them for."
Andrew George MP said: "Whilst we appreciate that a Public Inquiry is likely to be costly, it is important that we have an opportunity to both test many of the
assumptions behind this particular solution and to test the resolve of the Government to favour the type of energy from waste technology proposed.
"Whatever the outcome, it is critical that the contract seeks to maximise recycling and efforts to protect the Cornish environment. We remain determined that Cornwall
will be known as the 'green peninsula' and any waste contract should make a contribution to that."
