Survey Backs Belfast Waste Incinerator

Proposals for a £300 million waste incinerator near Belfast have received overwhelming public backing.

Residents in north Belfast got their say on whether or not a controversial 'energy from waste' site would be built in the area.

Last September, after what was appropriately described as a 'heated' debate by Belfast City Council, members decided to take the issue to public consultation.

Their plans to locate such a facility at North Foreshore Park was then put on hold pending the outcome.

In his role as a North Belfast councillor, the current Stormont Finance Minister Nigel Dodds backed the decision to go to public consultation.

"The proposal of whether Belfast City Council should sell land at the North Foreshore for an energy from waste incinerator is the biggest decision that Belfast City Council will make in this council term.

"It is the essence of local democracy that people are consulted on a range of issues."

Now, it has emerged that a total of 88% of ratepayers who responded to the public consultation favoured making the site available.

However, while opponents raised health concerns about potentially toxic emissions, Ricky Burnett from arc21, the group behind the project, said: "This could be a catalyst and stimulus for redevelopment to that area."

He is happy that the majority support making land available for either an Energy From Waste (EFW) power station or a Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT) centre which prepares waste for processing.

Almost nine out of ten of those who responded said the Council should make the land available for an incinerator and three quarters believed it should be provided for an MBT plant.

Arc 21 wants Belfast councillors to accept its blueprint so the Energy From Waste (EFW) power station can be built by 2016.

Northern Ireland faces fines from Europe if it doesn't reduce the amount of waste going into landfill.

But environmentalists argue more recycling would help meet the target without wastefully burning energy to save landfill.

Back in March this year, the proposed waste incinerator was branded an expensive source of pollution which would pose long-term health risks.

They said burning waste emits pollutants but according to health experts has little effect on health.

Niall Bakewell, from Friends of the Earth, said: "Burning waste produces myriad toxins, including dioxins, heavy metals and furans.

"The various methods that the council proposes for mitigating the harmful effects of incineration are highly questionable."

Belfast City Council will now decide at a meeting next Tuesday whether to release land for the project at the North Foreshore.

They will be encouraged by the fact that, without waste treatment facilities in 2012/13 the council would be liable for penalties of approximately £3.7 million in that year.

The amount of fines would increase every year subsequent to that. There could be an additional £2.4 million in landfill costs by 2013.

(BMcC/JM)