Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Edmonton EcoPark: Proposed Expansion — [Stewart Hosie in the Chair]

09 February 2022 · 4 other contributors · 8,663 words

Opened by Iain Duncan Smith Con Chingford and Woodford Green

Responding minister: Greg Hands

ClimateEnergyEnvironment

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Iain Duncan Smith raised concerns about edmonton ecopark: proposed expansion — [stewart hosie in the chair] in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • Mr Iain Duncan Smith raises concerns about environmental and health impacts due to increased air pollution from the proposed Edmonton EcoPark expansion.
  • He questions the value for money of the project, citing rising costs and falling waste generation rates.
  • The minister states that the project has legal development consent and modern incinerators comply with strict emission limits and environmental regulations.

Key requests to Government

Mr. Duncan Smith asks for a value-for-money review of the project, questioning its necessity given falling waste generation rates and the availability of alternative methods with lower carbon emissions.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Iain Duncan Smith Con Chingford and Woodford Green

Mr. Iain Duncan Smith is concerned about the environmental and health impacts of the proposed expansion at Edmonton EcoPark, including increased air pollution levels that affect local residents' health and already high asthma rates in schools, GP surgeries, and care homes. He notes that waste generation has fallen due to recycling efforts but costs have escalated from £650 million to £1.2 billion without any construction yet. He also highlights the overcapacity of incineration capacity compared to current waste volumes and the environmental impact.

Other contributors (4)
  • Alan Whitehead Lab Southampton North

    The waste debate should focus on resources, not disposal. Incineration should be a last resort and modern techniques like gasification and anaerobic digestion should be prioritised to align with the circular economy principles.

  • Catherine West Lab Hornsey and Friern Barnet

    Catherine West expressed concern about the Edmonton EcoPark expansion, noting that air pollution disproportionately affects vulnerable groups. She highlighted the need for innovative waste management solutions and urged the government to increase recycling levels while supporting local authorities facing budget cuts. Additionally, she emphasized the importance of considering carbon capture and storage technologies in the project design. She highlighted the tragic case of Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, emphasizing the need for improved air quality policies following her mother Rosamund's efforts to raise awareness.

  • Geraint Davies Lab Cynon Valley

    Mr Davies is concerned about the impact of a new incinerator in Edmonton on air quality and public health. He cited research showing ultrafine particulates from incineration can cause permanent chronic damage due to their ability to penetrate immediately into the bloodstream and vital organs. He also pointed out that if recycling rates were doubled, it would halve the amount burnt. He argued for a moratorium on new incinerators until newer technologies are better understood, highlighting potential risks of excess capacity leading to more burning. Does the Minister accept that BEIS has given 50 consent orders for new incinerators, leading to a doubling of incineration? The 2022 standards should be applied to Edmonton EcoPark's incinerator. He mentioned concerns about the doubling of incineration capacity and raised questions regarding planned incinerator capacity against future residual waste arisings. He also referenced figures that may differ from official data.

  • Jeremy Corbyn Ind Islington North

    I raise concerns about the impact of the proposed Edmonton EcoPark expansion on local communities and wildlife. I urge the government to reconsider its plans, as they could lead to significant environmental damage. Incineration was seen as a step forward in the 1970s but now it pollutes communities and harms health, especially children's. The technology is outdated for the 21st century. Only 30% of waste is recycled annually compared to 65% in Germany. Jeremy Corbyn intervened to suggest recording composting levels alongside recycling, advocating for more efficient waste management practices such as composting food and green waste rather than incineration or landfill disposal. He argued that waste incineration with energy recovery should not compete with waste prevention, re-use or recycling. He agreed that energy from waste is better than landfill but stressed the importance of recycling.

Government Response

Greg Hands

The Edmonton incinerator was given development consent in February 2017 after considering environmental and health impacts. The Government have no statutory or financial basis for undertaking a cost review of the project, which has seen costs increase from £650 million to £1.2 billion. All large energy-from-waste plants must comply with strict emission limits and cannot operate without an Environment Agency permit. Modern incinerators are not considered significant risks to public health according to UK Health Security Agency assessments. The minister emphasised the need for recycling improvement, noting that his constituency has one of the worst recycling rates in the country. He acknowledged concerns about value for money but did not comment on the process itself. Regarding air quality and carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS), the Government aim for 6 megatonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2030, rising to 9 megatonnes by 2035. The minister also addressed waste capacity assessment against future residual waste arisings.

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