Bridgnorth district and Sheriffhales parish councillor Gordon Tonkinson is alarmed by plans submitted to Telford and Wrekin planners to locate an energy-from-waste plant just a mile from the border of Sheriffhales parish on the Granville landfill site.
Councillor Tonkinson, a farmer, fears that prevailing winds will carry fine particles from the incinerator in the direction of Shifnal and distribute dioxins and other potentially harmful chemicals into the atmosphere. Dioxins are hazardous chemicals which have been blamed for a range of health problems including cancer, and are commonly associated with incineration.
Councillor Tonkinson said the community should not be complacent about the potential risk to health.
“I am very concerned that many people know nothing about this plan, and those that do are not thinking about the risks,” he said. “I don’t want to be alarmist but I want people to know the facts.
“People think that because they can’t see or smell the emissions, incineration is safe, but the very fine particles released from the chimneys and carried in the wind can do a lot of damage. As a farmer I know that prevailing winds will carry these particles in the direction of Sheriffhales and Shifnal.”
The plan has been submitted by SITA UK who run the existing Glanville landfill site, in partnership with technology specialists Cyclercal. The facility will burn 62,000 tonnes of waste a year and will incorporate a steel framed building 32 metres high and a 65 metre high chimney stack.
Ian Crummack, managing director of Cyclercal, said that the plant was safe and would have to meet tough European standards on air emissions.
“We understand that people ask these questions about energy-from-waste plants but there is no cause for concern,” he said. “This is not a dangerous process.We have very sophisticated pollution control equipment and these plants have been operating in many European countries for years.
“We have nothing to hide and intend to operate a residents’ monitoring panel so that residents can verify the safety standards for themselves once the plant is operating.”
Telford and Wrekin Council said the application for outline planning permission was a complex one and it would be months before any decision would be made. In the meantime extensive consultations would take place with members of the public, local interest groups and the Environment Agency.
Once it has been registered, the planning documentation will be available to view by contacting the planning department at Telford and Wrekin Council on 01952 380380 and will also be available via the project website at www.granville-efw.co.uk. General enquiries can be addressed to SITA UK using the online feedback form or by calling the freephone helpline on 0800 328 3079.
