Anti-Incinerator Demonstration This Afternoon

10.56.16am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 18th Dec 2007

Ahead of the anti-incinerator demo, which will take place today at 3 p.m. outside the Bristol Council House, Councillors have been outlining their concerns about incineration proposals.

Councillor Paul Crossley, Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Bath and North East Somerset Council, "Liberal Democrats across the region are clear in their opposition to mass-burn incineration. We believe incineration discourages recycling as a steady supply of waste is needed once the incinerator is commissioned and it is in clear contradiction to the Zero Waste goal which has been adopted by Bath and North East Somerset Council. Furthermore, constructing the incinerator through a PFI scheme would be a financial hostage to the future."

Councillor Steve Comer, Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Bristol City Council, "Two weeks ago Bristol Council had a debate about the future of waste in the city. Were we told that Labour and surrounding Tory colleagues were planning an incinerator? No. Would this have been relevant to the debate? Yes. The former Avon Councils have tried to keep these controversial plans a secret."

Cllr Gary Hopkins, spokesperson on the Environment for Bristol City Council Liberal Democrats, "Many people who care about our environment are furious about these plans, and rightly so. A large incinerator is not what the consultation showed that people wanted, yet our 'listening' Council seems hell-bent on inflicting it on them, along with the rest of the sub-region.

"They appear to be writing off the government-backed Compact Power scheme before it's even started and have gone back to the dark ages with an expensive and unwieldy incinerator.

"Bristol Liberal Democrats over the last 2 years had to spend a sizeable amount dismantling and removing the last rusting incinerator that was closed down in 1996 because of dangerous emissions. Now is not the time to sign up for another 25 years."

Councillor Roger Symonds, the spokesperson on Waste for the Liberal Democrat Group on Bath and North East Somerset Council, "This dash for incineration by the Tories on the West of England Waste Partnership is a betrayal of the magnificent recycling efforts made by residents in the region over the last 11 years.

"The 70%-plus of residents in Bath and North East Somerset who are keen to recycle have built up our recycling rates to hit 47% and will respond even more if the administration implements the Lib Dem proposal to collect 'kitchen' waste weekly at kerbside next spring. This could take our recycling rates above 60%. But will they be able to afford this new initiative when they are squandering £585,000 on an incinerator?

"Bath and North East Somerset Council does not need, nor want a mass burn incinerator - it is unnecessary and will be an appalling waste of money? Bath and North East Somerset should get out of this waste partnership and focus on Zero Waste now."