Shlomo Dowen, from the UK Without Incineration Network, highlighted alarming data, revealing, 'For every tonne of plastic that is incinerated, more than two tonnes of carbon dioxide are being released, making incineration a significant source of greenhouse gases.' This statement underscores the environmental impact of incineration, posing questions about its sustainability and the UK’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions.
Dowen further expressed a grave concern for public health, stating, 'People's health is being jeopardised for no justifiable reason.' He emphasizes that the pollutants released from these facilities could have adverse effects on community health, advocating that the government should reconsider the health ramifications tied to incineration.
The increasing number of proposed incinerators has led to a public outcry, with campaigners asserting, 'Campaigners want the government to revoke the permits of the incinerators which are not yet under construction and ban any new projects.' This highlights a growing resistance against the government’s waste management policies and their potential environmental impacts.
With 12.1 million tonnes of waste burned in England during 2022-23, amounting to nearly half of all local authority waste, Dowen points out, 'The proposed new incinerators will mean England will be burning more than half the waste collected by councils.' This statistic raises concerns about how it contradicts the Labour Party's ambitions for a sustainable circular economy.
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