Martin plans anti-incinerator policy

10.41.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 27th Aug 2009

LOCAL MP Martin Horwood is to propose a policy to his party's national conference in September that could rule out incinerator contracts like the one being considered by Gloucestershire Conservatives. In his role as shadow environment minister for the Liberal Democrats, Martin has co-authored the party's new policy on the natural environment and will move the policy motion at the Bournemouth conference next month.

The new policy proposes 'banning waste treatment contracts longer than 10 years in recognition of the rapid improvements being made, ensuring that the most effective environmental technologies are introduced as soon as is sensible. We will not allow new incinerators for municipal waste unless they can be shown to be the best environmental option after considering all alternatives, including new technologies where waste reduction and reuse are not possible'.

'In Gloucestershire of all places, we should be making a clear stand against incineration' said Martin. 'After all the toxic fly ash from incineration ends up at Wingmoor Farm in this county. We're the last place that should be considering adding to the problem. Local Conservatives will really give themselves a reputation as Toxic Tories if they go ahead with this.'

'The policy we're proposing would stop these very long contracts for new incinerator plants. The companies need them to make the plants viable but the problem is that you have to keep feeding the machine. You can end up with the insanity of diverting waste from recycling so that it can fulfil the incinerator contract. In the long-term we need to cut waste being created in the first place, increase recycling and look at cleaner alternatives to incineration. The new Lib Dem policy we've drawn up includes plans for all these and would ban incinerators except as an absolute last resort.'

'Locking ourselves into a long-running incinerator contract in Gloucestershire now would be an environmental and political disaster.'