GAINS gives presentation in Newton Mearns, Sunday 20 March 2011

Local MSP Ken McIntosh hosted a public meeting to discuss the pros and cons of waste incineration, in light of plans to burn up to 1.5 million tonnes of waste each year at nearby Loganswell using gasification to burn waste and plasma vitrification to convert the ash into inert glass. 

There were three guests at the meeting - Willie Findlater of Lifetime Recycling Village, Katherine Hew of Planning Aid Scotland and Michael Gallagher of GAINS. 

Mr Findlater was the first speaker. Describing himself as an architect and entrepreneur he said the proposed gasification and plasma vitrification systems were completely safe, and that the air coming out of the chimney stacks would be cleaner than the surrounding air. 

Mr Finlater claimed that gasification was not incineration (which he opposed), adding that he regarded himself as an environmentalist. 

However Mr Findlater seemed uncertain about what would be burnt.  He claimed that the plant would only take biomass, and would not take any plastics. However he added that nylon carpets would be burnt, claiming that these counted as biomass under Ofgem's rules.

When asked if food and garden waste would be burnt, he said probably not because they wouldn't be taking municipal waste. However he added that they might take municipal waste in the future.

A member of the audience said, "The only reason we're here today is because of Renewables Obligations Certificates". These certificates, known as ROCs, are given to companies who produce 'renewable' energy. Those companies that fail to produce the required proportion of renewable energy have to pay into a fund. This fund is then distributed to companies holding ROCs. Unfortunately the UK Government has decided that waste gasification should count as renewable (see comments by WWF on this). 

Another member of the public expressed the view that the developers were only interested making money, and wanted to sell the plant on once it had been built. Mr Findlater appeared to confirm this, stating, "We are not interested in running a power plant."

Next, Kathrine Hew of Planning Aid Scotland explained the planning rules that would apply to the plant. As the plant will be generating more than 50MW of power the planning application (which has not yet been submitted) will be assessed by the Scottish Government's Energy Consents Unit. Ms Hew explained that there is no proper public consultation mechanism, but that the public are entitled to comment.  

Mr Findlater said there would be two concurrent planning applications, which would be considered together as a single application by the Energy Consents Unit and the local authority.

Michael Gallagher of GAINS then gave a presentation about some of the problems associated with incineration and gasification. Although Mr Findlater claimed that gasification was a safe technology, Mr Gallagher pointed to several examples of hazardous emissions from waste gasifiers, including the new plant on the Isle of Wight which had been closed last April due to excessive dioxin emissions. The plant remains closed.

The full text of the GAINS presentation can be downloaded here (Word Doc).