Coatbridge residents challenge minister, 7 July 2011

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Aileen Campbell, Minister for local government and Planning, as part of a ministerial visit, met with the Leader and Chief Executive of the North Lanarkshire Council at the new Coatbridge library today 7/7/11

What wasn’t expected by the Minister was being confronted by demonstrators from the MRAPP campaign group – Monklands Residents Against Pyrolysis Plant – who gathered outside the library and challenged Ms Campbell about the planning decision which may allow an incinerator to be built in Coatbridge next to homes, schools and nurseries regardless of the health fears and despite council and residents fierce opposition. 

Maggie Proctor “I asked her how she would feel if she lived in next to this incinerator, as the mother of a young baby, would she be happy taking a risk with her child’s health?”

The Minister said “it would be inappropriate to comment as the case was currently under judicial review”. The Minister also said that emissions were safe and would be monitored by SEPA, which is not the case – some emissions cannot be measured, particularly the cumulative and long term effects.

The last thing this town needs in an incinerator – health-wise we have one of the worst records, the emissions from this plant would hinder any progress and of course the most at risk are the very young and the elderly. There are alternatives to incinerating waste and as experts agree that waste streams are falling, this plant could very quickly not only be a white elephant but also become yesterday’s technology. No-one wants it here, not the council, not the residents. And Shore Energy’s plan to truck waste in from a 30 mile radius is ludicrous, it makes a mockery of the governments’ “Zero Waste Plan” and any efforts to reduce, re-use & recycle.

Maggie Proctor
MRAPP