LONG-AWAITED PHE STUDY ON INCINERATION COULD BE A COVER-UP

Members of Greater Manchester’s Breathe Clean Air Group are waiting anxiously for the imminent news of Public Health England’s report on the dangers of living near incinerators. Will it prove that living downwind of waste incinerators is bad for your health or will it be another COVER-UP?

Readers will recall that the PHE study into the health effects of emissions from energy-from-waste plants, was first announced in 2012. The findings were expected in March 2014, so the three year delay is causing speculation that there is internal wrangling between PHE, the Government and the contractors carrying out the study – Imperial College and Kings College London.

Living downwind of Incineration plants, such as those in Bolton, Runcorn and the proposed Barton Renewable Energy Plant in Davyhulme in Trafford is causing great concern. Environment Engineer Michael Ryan of Shrewsbury has spent several years acquiring and comparing the Office of National Statistics figures for infant mortality. He has shown that the Wards downwind of incineration plants have higher infant mortality rates than other Wards.

Chairman of the Breathe Clean Air Group, Pete Kilvert said. “we fear that the PHE study will average out emission readings instead of focussing on major hot spots. The people living and breathing deadly emissions need to know the truth. We can’t continue to keep putting toxic chemicals into our air. The Government will have to change its policy on waste disposal before our air becomes too toxic to breathe”.

In addition, the burning of biomass waste is a major source of Particulate Matter, some of which is not even measured, let alone controlled and managed. Wood processing plants that feed biomass incinerators, have also caused ill health problems to their neighbours. And the current trend of domestic wood-burning stoves is adding more air pollution to local neighbourhoods.

“We are expecting that the PHE study should reveal that living near incineration plants is dangerous to your health and will force the Government to change its policy on waste disposal. However, we also know that it is likely to be another massive cover-up.”