Cancer Fears Threaten Incinerator Plan

Greater Manchester residents have justifiable concerns after hearing news that a series of highly toxic emissions from Scotland’s newest waste incinerator, has breached safety regulations.

The Breathe Clean Air Group, which is trying to stop the controversial Barton Renewable Energy Plant in Davyhulme, Greater Manchester, is keeping an eye on developments in Scotland. Fifteen other proposed incinerators in Scotland have run into fierce opposition from local communities.

The energy-from-waste plant at Dargavel in Dumphries has had its operation restricted by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency after it admitted releasing cancer-causing dioxins up to two and a half times permitted levels. This new incinerator has had a troubled history. It was shut down in April 2011 after breaching emissions regulations some 200 times. Even after starting up again there were two further breaches of dioxin emissions.

Dioxins are a group of highly dangerous and persistent pollutants produced by combustion. As well as triggering cancer the World Health Organisation say that they can cause reproductive and developmental problems and damage the immune system.

Chairman of the Breathe Clean Air Group, Pete Kilvert said, “dioxins are likely to be produced and emitted from the Davyhulme Plant. These tiny, but very dangerous chemicals are attracted to fatty tissue in the body and stay there for a long time. They are also found in breast milk. The people of Greater Manchester have justifiable reasons to be frightened of having an incinerator in their neighbourhood”.

The Breathe Clean Air Group is preparing for a Public Inquiry in November, to prevent the controversial incinerator from being built. They have started a fighting fund to pay for their legal representation and air quality experts. If you would like to help, please see the group’s website at www.BreatheCleanAirGroup.co.uk.