Binn Farm 'cleaner' plant backed by councillors, 20 October 2011

The Courier, 20 October 2011

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COUNCILLORS HAVE backed plans for a controversial gasification scheme in rural Perthshire.
Although an energy from waste (EfW) plant at Binn Farm has already been given permission, site owners SITA UK have decided to adopt what they called "cleaner" technology.
However, residents of Abernethy have failed to be convinced by the apparent benefits, which include up to 25 new jobs and have continued to object to the proposals over concerns about odour and contamination risk.
Despite the fears, members of Perth and Kinross council's development control committee yesterday gave their support to SITA UK.
The planning manager for the firm, Anne-Marie Wilshaw, explained the reasons behind the switch from EfW to gasification.
"At the time of the previous application, we as a company had only considered grate facilities (where the waste is slowly propelled through the furnace by a moving mechanical grate), not gasification facilities," she said.
"We weren't, at the time, able to back any gasification technology but, since then, we have been looking into it.
"We now put our name to this type of technology and have developed it elsewhere in the country,
namely in Surrey.
"I would say, for SITA to actually put their name to that technology means we have every confidence in its safety and deliverability."
While at 160.6m long, 89.8m wide and 20.8m in height, the plant will be a fraction of the size of the EfW one, it will still be able to process 60,000 tonnes of residual waste from Perth and Kinross each year.
There are still issues with what Ms Wilshaw called "bottom ash residue", however, as it can only be put to landfill at the moment and accounts for around 20% of what goes into gasification chamber.
She added: "We would hope to be able to recycle this, but that depends on the market."
Unconvinced by the presentation given by SITA UK, Michael Gallagher of Green Alternatives to Incineration in Scotland led an impassioned plea against the latest plans for Binn Farm.
He told councillors about issues being faced by Dargavel, a similar facility in Dumfries and Galloway which he described as an "environmental disaster".
"You might think they are just in the middle of setting it up, but look back to a year earlier and it seems more
like they are going backwards," he said.
"Things are getting worse, as the most recent information shows there were 45 complaints in 2010, while in 2009 there were 36."
The issues faced by Dargavel were also raised by Abernethy Community Council member Ann Sangster, who urged
the committee to defer a decision until it is proven the existing facility in Dumfries can operate without any further problems.
She added: "Dargavel is meant to be state of the art, yet it has proven to be lacking in its ability to do the job and to run safely, which led to it being shut down in April.
"SITA have said they will make modifications but who is to say these will work?
Can they give us unconditional assurances that we will not suffer from the problems and potential hazards that residents around Dargavel have had to put up with?
"It appears the manual on this operation is being written 'on the hoof."
Although these concerns were taken into consideration by councillors, they indicated that the premises would be strictly monitored by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency.
Moving the report for approval. Councillor Murray Lyie welcomed the changes made to the facility.