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Pre-Release Booklet - Waste Incinerator - Coggle Diagram
Pre-Release Booklet - Waste Incinerator
Facts
Proposed Site
Grid Reference: 4868
Area: 0.3 km2
Location: Top Moor
Land uses surrounding the site:
cow pastures
research park
several farms
sand and gravel pit
racecourses
residential areas
Conflicts with land uses surrounding the site:
The pollution and noise may affect farms and cow pastures in the local area
The people living in the new town will be worried about the health and environmental issues of incineration
The proposed site is situated just south of the A10 and is 7.5 km north north east of Cambridge on the edge of Waterbeach. It is south of the River Create Ouse and North of Cambridge Research Park
New town
Direction from new town: North North West
Straight line distance from proposed site to new town: 2.5 km
Road distance from proposed site to new town: 4.5 km
The new town is situated in the north west of Waterbeach on the site of an old barracks and is just east of the A10. It is 6km north east of Cambridge and 2.5km south south east of the proposed site.
Cambridge
Direction from Cambridge: North North East
Straight line distance from proposed site to Cambridge: 7.5 km
Road Distance from proposed site to Cambridge: 7.5 km
Proposed Building of Incinerator
For
Social
The new facility could generate enough electricity for 63,000 homes (fig 2, pg 4)
Helps to cope with waste from the growing population (fig 2, pg 4)
Provides energy to new homes at former barracks (fig 2, pg 4)
Incineration provides more control over bad smells because due to the lack of decomposition (fig 3, pg 6)
Incineration destroys harmful germs and chemicals
Better for environment (fig 3, pg 6)
Economic
Over 300 jobs would be created during construction and operational phases (fig 2, pg 4)
Local jobs in construction and operation will boost the economy (fig 2, pg 4)
Incineration can be used to produce heat and electricity which is more sustainable and cost effective (fig 3, pg 6)
Generate enough electricity for 63,000 homes especially for the new town at former barracks (fig 2, pg 4)
Environmental
Over 80% of waste currently going to landfill could be incinerated at the new facility (fig 2, pg 4)
The new facility would be able to handle up to 250,000 tonnes of waste per year (fig 2, pg 4)
Less going to landfill (fig 2, pg 4)
Burning of the waste creates sustainable and affordable energy (fig 2, pg 4)
Will be strictly monitored by environment agency (fig 2, pg 4)
No additional land required as the proposed building is within existing boundaries (fig 3, pg 6)
Against
Social
Completely dominates the surrounding countryside (fig 3, pg 7)
Ruin views from Ely Cathedral
141m long, 91m wide and 80m tall. Impact visual amenity in area (fig 3, pg 7)
Close to Denny Abbey and Denny Farmland Museum, a listed building and tourist attraction visited by many people. May discourage people visiting (fig 3, pg 7)
Large quantities of waste will be brought in from a wide area by large lorries adding a significant amount of heavy traffic to the local roads (fig 3, pg 7)
Concerns about how close the incinerator is to the new town on the former Barracks (fig 3, pg 7)
May prevent people purchasing houses in the development
Economic
Could impact house prices and put people off moving into new homes (fig 3, pg7)
Multiplier effect may cause area to become less affluent
Incineration plants are very expensive to build and operation costs are high (fig 2, pg 4)
eg Lincoln Incinerator cost £125 million
Environmental
Incineration can produce dangerous pollutants which are harmful to people and the environment (fig 3, pg 6)
Incineration ash can be dangerous if not managed carefully (fig 3, pg 6)
Incineration discourages recycling and waste reduction and may encourage more waste production (fig 3, pg 6)
Increased traffic in the area therefore more pollution (fig 3, pg 6)
Stakeholder Views
For
Amey Waste Services
80% of current waste that is landfilled can be incinerated
Handle 250,000 tonnes of waste per year
300 jobs and electricity for 63,000 homes
Local Council
Need to manage ever increasing amount of waste, will decrease landfill (F3,P7)
300 jobs and electricity for 63,000 homes (F3,P6)
UK Government
Responsible for managing the problem of growing waste.
Landfill sites are close to being full. Incineration is more efficient way of disposing of waste - produces energy
Would reduce need to export waste
Against
Local Resident
Increase pollution leading to health problems (F3,P7)
Increased traffic congestion
Blot on landscape (F3,P6)
Denny Abbey
Close proximity
Visual blot and incinerator pollution
Cambridge without Incineration
Proximity of new incinerator to the new town at former Barracks
Houses less appealing to prospective buyers (F3,P7 Top)
Council for Preservation of Rural England
Buildings will dwarf every other building in the area, including Ely Cathedral
The chimney, with its polluting exhaust plume, will be visible for miles
Managing Waste
UK Waste Disposal
Landfill
45% of all waste is disposed of by burying it in landfill sites
Over 500 landfill sites in the UK, many of which will be full in the next few years
Incineration
The burning of waste which can be used to heat water and generate electricity
A number of older incinerators are being shut down due to pollution issues
Recycling
Converting waste into reusable materials
Anaerobic Digestion
Breakdown of organic matter by biological agents
Creates fertiliser and methane. Methane can be used to generate electricity
Composting
Organic waste such as garden and food waste can be composted and treated to produce soil conditioner
Food Waste
On average each person in the UK throws away 69kg of waste per year
This costs the average family roughly £800
Overall, the cost of food waste in the UK has greatly increased from 2006 to 2016 from £2.25 billion to £2.95 billion which is an increase of £0.7 billion
Growing Waste
The total waste produced by the UK in 2018 was 225 million tonnes:
62% - 140 million tonnes from Construction/demolition
13% - 29 million tonnes from Commercial
12% - 27 million tonnes from Household
13% - 29 million tonnes from other sources
The majority of waste produced is from constructional demolition being 62% and 140 million tonnes which is just over 3/5 of the total waste. The other 38% is split roughly even between the commercial, household and other waste producers equating for 85 million tonnes of waste in 2018
Recycling Rates
Wales has the highest recycling rates in the UK at 62.7%
East Yorkshire has the highest recycling rates in England at 64%
London Borough of Newham has the lowest recycling rates in England at 14%
Recycling rates are slowing as people may find it confusing which plastics can be recycled and which ones can't leading to less being recycled than possible
Todays recycling rates: 45%
Governments target for recycling rate by 2035: 65%
Recycling rates could increase by using a new system that is easy to use and cost effective with increasing the use of recycling packaging and clearer labelling for consumers
Firstly, the rate of recylcing has greatly increased at a steady rate from 2000 to 2010 from 12% to 41%. Then, the rate of waste recycling brings to decrease in 2010 when the rate fluctuates staying relatively the same until 2019 from 43% to 47%
Linear Waste Recycling System
In the past waste management was seen as a linear system, meaning that raw materials were used to make products and after their use were seen as rubbish to throw away
Exporting Waste
Top 5 UK plastic waste export destinations (2018):
Malaysia - 105,000 tonnes
Turkey - 80,000 tonnes
Poland - 70,000 tonnes
Indonesia - 63,000 tonnes
The Netherlands - 62,000
China
Since 2018, China (and other LIC/NEE's) has begun to decrease the amount of waste which they accept from the UK
Resons for exporting:
Gets the waste away from England
Prevents pollution and other issues in England
Reduces illegal dumping which pollutes water sources
Better than being sent to landfill or incinerated
Reasons against exporting:
Puts more pressure on other countries
China becomes a dumping ground
Burning causes climate change
Environmental issues
Polluted waterways
Health issues
Landfill sites will eventually get full
China's ban on importing plastic waste has resulted in more plastic being incinerated or sent to landfill or simply illegally dumped. This has led to polluted waterways and open burning, creating air pollution and serious health issues in some parts of the world
Energy from Waste
The incinerator would provide and alternative to landfill and create sustainable and afforable energy
It would reduce the reliance on fossil fuels to produce energy in the local area and so would be beneficial for the environment by preventing emissions and climate change
Circular Waste Recycling System
The development of recycling has changed this to some extent. For example waste paper is recycled and used to produce new paper. This reduces the amount of waste that is sent to landfill or incinerated and creates more of a circular waste system
Increasingly, products are being made so that they can be easily and cheaply repaired or updated and made out of materials that can be eventually fully recycled. Therefore fewer raw materials are wasted and disposable waste is kept to a minimum, ensuring human and natural environments are safer.