The Environmental Services Association (ESA) said it was “a shame” that London Mayor Sadiq Khan has opposed construction of a new energy from waste plant in Bexley.
The mayor’s office said Bexley residents and MPs oppose the plans because it would increase NOx emissions and they fear emissons of arsenic, nickel and other metals. The Mayor disputed claims by waste management company Corythat the incinerator will generate low-carbon heat and power and meet his minimum CO2 requirement for energy from waste facilities. He also said that it was not clear that the excess heat could be used in homes and buildings, saying the existing incinerator facility (Riverside Resource Recovery Facility) has enough heat capacity.
The Mayor does not have powers to stop the project but said he would register his opposition with the Planning Inspectorate, which will make a recommendation on the application to the government, and with secretary of state Greg Clark.
In response Jacob Hayler, ESA executive director, said: “It is a shame that the Mayor of London is so ill-informed about the role and benefits of energy from waste facilities as part of a circular economy. These facilities are vital for preventing non-recyclable wastes from ending up in landfill. Contrary to the Mayor’s statement, the emissions from these plants are among the most tightly regulated of any industrial installations in Europe, and therefore the world.
“The proposed development would bring investment and jobs to London and would save over 200kg of CO2 for every tonne of material diverted from landfill. It is a win-win for the environment and the economy.”
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