Conservative councillors in Norfolk are pushing to reconsider the county’s ban on incinerators, citing high waste disposal costs.
Norfolk: Some Conservative councillors are suggesting that the county should rethink its ban on incinerators. They argue that it’s costing over £20 million a year to send about 200,000 tonnes of waste to be burned in other counties.
Critics aren’t too happy about this idea. They remember the last time the council tried to set up an incinerator at Saddlebow, which ended up costing them £34 million when it was scrapped back in 2014.
After that, the council, which was then run by a mix of Labour, Liberal Democrats, and UKIP, decided to ban incineration in Norfolk altogether. But now, with all that money going out of the county, some councillors think it’s time to revisit that decision.
It’s a bit surprising, especially since just two years ago, the council voted against a big incinerator project in Wisbech. Barry Stone, a Conservative councillor, believes they should look into having an incinerator within Norfolk to handle waste more efficiently.
He pointed out that the current situation is only going to get worse, and it’s costing the county a lot without any benefits. Another Conservative, John Fisher, called the no-incinerator policy “selfish” and thinks it’s time for a fresh look at the issue.
Vic Thomson, who chairs the infrastructure committee, echoed these concerns, saying it’s not practical to keep sending waste so far away. They’re planning to discuss this further with James Bensly, the cabinet member for environment and waste.
However, not everyone is on board. Liberal Democrat councillor Rob Colwell expressed shock that incineration is even being considered again, especially after the council’s previous stance against it.
Green group leader Dr. Catherine Rowett warned that bringing up incineration would likely cause a public outcry, but she also thinks it might make people more mindful of their waste.
Currently, Norfolk sends a significant amount of waste to incinerators in Suffolk and Bedfordshire, while a small portion still ends up in landfills. The government has also announced that it will block new incinerators unless they meet certain environmental goals.
This whole waste management debate has been ongoing for years. Back in 2005, there were plans for an incinerator in Costessey, but those fell through. The focus then shifted to Saddlebow, which also faced heavy opposition due to health concerns.
In 2011, the council tried to push through a £500 million contract for an incinerator, but when government funding fell through, they had to cancel the project in 2014, leading to significant financial losses.
Fast forward to 2022, and the council, now back under Conservative control, unanimously opposed a new incinerator project in Wisbech. It’s clear that waste management in Norfolk is a hot topic, and the conversation is far from over.
